Perfect Storm
by tamer.of.the.wild.things.13
Summary: KakaIru AU. Rated M for language and adult themes. Full MA version available on AO3 soon, see profile. Stuck together because of a storm, two teachers fall for each other. Kind of fluffy.
1. So It Starts

I sometimes read but rarely write AUs, but I had an assignment for my TESOLs certification that this started out as. It was also inspired by the nor'easter that hit the Canadian Maritimes in 2014. Or was it 2013?

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and I am making no money writing fanfiction.

…..0…0…0…..

It was six o'clock on a Tuesday night, and Iruka was still in his classroom. He worked at his desk diligently, pausing to stretch slowly and rub the back of his neck. As he glanced at the clock, he started, realizing how late it was. He sighed, knowing he should probably get home. After all, there was a storm moving in and the principal had mentioned to the staff that the school would most likely be cancelled the next day. Iruka packed his bag; making sure to bring all of the papers he had leftover to grade.

Iruka worked at one of only four elementary schools in the small maritime town of Campbellton, New Brunswick. He was well loved by students and the community alike, but was secretly looking forward to a day off. Iruka was the only teacher left in his school at this hour; he was one of only two or three that ever worked overtime. However, the quality of his work and all of the extra-curricular activities he ran reflected his hard work ethic.

Bag finally packed, Iruka made his way over to his closet and dug out all of his winter gear. He put it on sluggishly, definitely ready to go home. As he tucked his scarf into the top of his button-down coat, he grabbed his satchel and made his way down the hall. As the biting wind hit him full on, he lowered his head and trudged through the knee-deep snow to his Jeep.

Meanwhile….

It was quarter to six and Kakashi knew he was in trouble. He was usually the last to leave the private high school where he worked. In general, though he was an exceptional teacher, he was also rather lethargic (lazy!). He never moved fast unless he was really motivated and today had been no different even though he had known there was a storm coming. There were winds gusting to over 160km an hour and the snowdrifts were piled several feet high. Visibility was terrible, but as usual, Kakashi hadn't cared to think too far ahead and had driven his very impractical sports car to work anyways. Kakashi was from a wealthy family and had purchased the car on a whim. He also didn't have to work, but chose to anyways. He didn't get along very well with his administrators or even many students, but he was brilliant and a great teacher so his lack of social skills was often overlooked.

Horribly cold and up to his knees in snow, Kakashi's face was caked in ice from his eyes tearing up then freezing to his face. He had long since dropped his satchel in the snow and his car's hood was up. He had no flares or even an emergency kit in his car and even if he had booster cables, there was no one to jump his car for him. He also lived way on the other side of the town, just outside the city limits in his family's large old farmhouse. It was remodeled, of course, and the farm had long since been turned into a beautiful orchard, a beekeeping area and a beautiful stable that raised thoroughbreds.

Kakashi sighed and slumped against the driver's side door of his car when he noticed what he _thought_ were headlights approaching. He rubbed his eyes blearily and blinked. Yeah, even through the reduced visibility, he could clearly make out the foggy shape of two headlights approaching slowly.

He pushed off the car clumsily, trying to quickly make his way through the snowdrifts, shouting hoarsely at the top of his lungs for whomever it was to, "Stop!" more shaky steps, "Please, stop!"

As he made his way very cautiously down the road, Iruka thought he could make out a form by the side of the road. Nearing the figure, he realized that—_Yes, some _idiot_ was blundering about in the middle of the road_, so he brought his vehicle to an abrupt halt.

Opening the door and stepping partially out, he shouted out a hearty, "Hello?" that was lost almost immediately in the wind.

Iruka was answered with a small, "Thank goodness," that echoed eerily through the snow-dampened air.

As the snow-muted sound reached his ears, he realized with a sigh that the blundering fool out in the blizzard was none other than his brother's dumbass math teacher. _Only Kakashi_, he mused to himself, _would be ignorant enough not to prepare for a storm of this caliber in advance. Only that stupid, arrogant shit would get stuck—most likely in his ridiculous sports car that was in no way, shape or form suitable for a Canadian winter._

When the man in the car stepped fully out into the snow and made his way over, Kakashi realized who it was. He was grateful, make no mistake—he knew he was lucky anyone had stopped for him at all; given the weather it was a miracle anyone was even out— but he had to grit his teeth though, because…. well because it was _him_. As much as he knew Iruka was kind to a fault and was probably still out because he hadn't quit working yet, he also knew the man had quite a temper and his sharp tongue lashings had stung Kakashi on more than one occasion, as he attended most parent-teacher conferences in lieu of he and his brother's adoptive parents. It was also awful to end up at the same teacher workshops as him all the time, but what else could you expect in a small town like this one?


	2. Seriously, What's Wrong With My Hair?

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters and I am not making any money by writing fanfiction.

…..0…0…0…..

Iruka trudged over wearily, sighing out a tired, "What seems to be the problem, Mr. Hatake?" stressing the name and making the otherwise polite question seem forced.

"Um, well, my car won't start." Kakashi followed Iruka back towards his car, tripping over his frozen feet every few steps.

"Yes," Iruka turned to face him as they came to a stop beside the car. "I can see that. Do you know why it won't start?" With an added, "Other than the fact it's a ridiculously unsuitable muscle car." under his breath that Kakashi wasn't sure if he'd imagined or not.

Kakashi sighed and rolled his eyes in exasperation. Couldn't he just help and not be snide? "It's probably that the battery is dead. This model wasn't really, um, made for this weather, I guess."

"You don't say?" Iruka gave him a deadpan stare, then intoned dryly, "Try to start it, will you?"

Kakashi quickly obliged, sliding into his driver's seat and turning the key. Iruka nodded. "That sure sounds like a battery problem. In all honesty, it could be the starter too, but…. give me a minute." He disappeared behind the hood for a second, and Kakashi heard a, "Dammit!" Much to his surprise, Iruka appeared at his elbow a second later, shaking his head. "It isn't the battery. Not quite, anyways. Do you ever get maintenance done on this car of yours?"

Kakashi thought back and then smiled sheepishly, "I might have forgotten the last few appointments?" He scratched the back of his neck self-consciously. There was just something about Iruka that made him feel like a little kid getting caught with his hands in the cookie jar.

"So…." he began as the silence got tenser, "Can you give me a boost?"

Iruka turned to him, his face flat, "No."

Kakashi paled. "You've got to be kidding me! You're just going to leave me here? Stranded? Freezing? Dying?" Kakashi's voice pitched higher up with each word, in a near panic until it dropped dramatically to a whisper on the last syllable.

Iruka sighed and took off a glove to scrub at his face. "No, you idiot, I can't give you a boost because your battery cables and your ground cable are all corroded. I don't know how you managed it, but really, only you would. They definitely need to be cleaned and possibly even replaced. Your car isn't going anywhere, anytime soon. Get in my car."

As Iruka finished, he turned abruptly and made his way back towards the road. Kakashi stared dumbly at him for a minute then rushed to close up his car and find his satchel, before Iruka changed his mind. Stupid cables.

…..0…0…0…..

As Iruka sat waiting in the warmth of his Jeep, he watched Kakashi struggling out in the wind, shaking his head at the stupidity of his situation. Why couldn't it have been anyone else? As Kakashi fumbled at the door, then gestured at it wildly, Iruka sighed. "It is unlocked. You just need to push the little button in as you pull the door handle."

Kakashi smiled sheepishly again as the door opened, letting in blasts of freezing air. "Oh."

Iruka shook his head. Anyone else!

"Why does it have a button?"

Iruka replied shortly as he put the Jeep in gear, "It's basically for camping."

Kakashi waited, but since Iruka didn't elaborate, he breathed a drawn out, "O-kaaay….."

Iruka sighed, rolled his eyes and then answered, "The SUV is a four by four and trail-rated for off-roading. The doors have the button so animals, such as a bear, who are actually quite intelligent, mind you, cannot accidentally open the door. If you're off-roading or camping and happen to be stuck in your vehicle, because they don't have opposable thumbs."

Kakashi thought for a minute. He supposed if a bear swiped repeatedly at a regular door it might get lucky, but still, it seemed a bit like overkill. "What if you're not in the car?" He turned to Iruka questioningly.

Iruka's bright smile caught him off guard for a minute, as he answered, "Then you're S. O. L. Wanna go camping, Hatake?"

Kakashi regarded Iruka for a while, not entirely sure if that was rhetorical and then answered slowly, "No."

Iruka laughed out loud. "I figured not. You're too much of a city slicker for camping. Besides, it wouldn't be that easy to get rid of a prick like you, would it?"

Kakashi turned to him, mouth agape. He'd never heard the man talk like this, so, so normal, with slang and swears. Sure, he'd been insulted by the man, but that was usually delivered like an iron fist covered in a velvet glove, far more subtly even when the man was going off like a loose cannon.

Iruka turned. "What?'

"You sound so…." Kakashi paused, and Iruka interrupted him.

"What? Not like a prude? How well outside of work, Hatake? Some people believe need to remain civil and professional." Iruka eyed him, making it obvious what he thought of Kakashi's professionalism, then added, "I'm in the comfort of my own damn vehicle and I'll speak any way I like."

Kakashi nodded and then noticed where they were. "I live in that direction," he said, pointing to a road they had just passed.

"Sorry, but take a look outside. We'll be lucky if we make it to my house, much less to yours and then mine. You'll just have to stay over, it's not like it'll be for long and we're not complete strangers." Iruka grinned, "If Naruto's over, and I'll bet anything he is, I'm sure he'd appreciate some one-on-one tutoring."

At this sarcastic remark, even Kakashi laughed, answering with an equally sarcastic, "I'm sure."

…..0…0…0…..

Iruka pulled up outside a row of townhouses, turning to Kakashi and speaking, "Our mom's uncle, so my great-uncle I guess, owns almost the whole block. He rents these three out to myself, his own son—that would be my cousin Asuma, and a family named Inuzuka."

"As in your brother's best friend and the high school's resident troublemaker, Kiba Inuzuka?"

Iruka smiled, collecting his things and adding with a large smile before going out into the biting wind where more conversation would be impossible, "Of course. The one and only. They met when I moved in a few years ago. Since my brother is always over."

"Hmph. So I have your sorry self to thank for that dynamic duo," he shook his head as he followed Iruka up the path.

As they made their way into the hall, shaking off snow and closing the door against the howling wind, Iruka called out, "I'm home! You here, Naruto?"

As Kakashi reached down to undo his shoes, he heard his student answer, "We're in here, Ruka!"

Iruka answered, "We?"

"Yeah." Kakashi heard footsteps as Naruto obviously padded towards the door, continuing, "Mom and Dad are still out of town because their plane couldn't land in the storm, so I figured I'd crash at your place instead of being all alone, and Kiba came over because—hey!"

Kakashi looked up into his student's pointing finger. "What are you doing here?"

Iruka sighed. "Be nice, Naruto. I'm sure he doesn't want to be here any more than you want him to be. But he is a guest and you will be nice."

Naruto waved his brother off, "Yeah, yeah. Why's he here anyways?"

Iruka sighed again, putting his boots into the closet with a muffled, "I mean it, be nice," then resurfacing to add, "His car broke down and he needed a ride. There was no way I was driving him home and then driving more in this storm, so I told him he could stay tonight."

Naruto glared a little at Kakashi, looking him up and down and saying, "I'm not doing any extra homework, so you'd better not get any ideas," before disappearing back into what Kakashi assumed was Iruka's living room.

Kakashi chuckled inwardly as Iruka turned to him with an apologetic smile. "Sorry. He's usually more polite to guests, but well, you already know each other- you spend half the school day together, so he's obviously not going to be shy. Hey," Iruka raised his voice, "Did you boys eat yet?"

This time Kakashi heard Kiba answer as he shuffled into the hallway, " Not if you're cooking, Iruka." He stopped in the doorway, gaping, "Whoa…. Teacher! It's…. a teacher. Hey, Naruto—the math dude's here!" He backed up to holler in to his friend.

"Yeah, I know dummy. Just go to the bathroom so we can keep playing. Tenten's on the line and she says that she and Lee are ready to storm the other base as soon as we're ready." Kiba nodded and disappeared.

Iruka sighed, as he looked Kakashi up and down, his gaze stopping at his sopping wet pants legs and socks. "Do you ever dress for the weather?"

Kakashi tilted his head with a self-deprecating smirk, "In the summer?"

They both laughed as Iruka motioned him forward. "Come on. Since Kiba's in the downstairs washroom, you can change in mine. I should be able to find you something of mine that fits—" he paused, looking back at Kakashi's slightly taller, but definitely thinner frame, "—ish?" he finished with a smile.

As Kakashi followed him up, he took a deep breath and said, "Hey, thanks. I mean, I know we're not buddies or anything, so thanks. Not a lot of people even stop for pulled over cars nowadays."

Iruka smiled over his shoulder, "You're welcome." As they climbed the last few stairs, he contemplated, then added, "I think most of them are just afraid. You never know what kind of whacko could be waiting out there."

"But you're not afraid?"

Iruka smiled, "Yeah and look what I ended up with—my brother's crazy math teacher."

Kakashi laughed, but continued, "Really though. What If I had been crazy?"

"You are crazy." Iruka rummaged around in his drawers as Kakashi waited a little awkwardly, trying not to make a puddle on the carpet.

"What if I was…. homicidal?"

Iruka bent down to rifle through some lower drawers and Kakashi couldn't help but notice his quite nice derriere as it swung in his direction. A mumble muffled by the drawers, "You're not homicidal."

Iruka stood up, a little red-faced from being hunched over and continued, "If you've made it this long in the school system and not had a breakdown, I think it's safe to say you're pretty stable." He added with a smile, "No matter how nuts my brother and his friends think you are."

"But what if I was?" He insisted, knowing he was bordering on obnoxious, but he just couldn't let it go for some reason.

"What, are you actually worried about me? Hatake, you can't even stand me." Iruka tried to shuffle around his houseguest to go downstairs; but by the look of surprise on his face, has was caught off guard as Kakashi stopped him by the arm.

"Well, you are letting me stay. And borrowing me clothes. And feeding, me, I hope, so I should at least make sure you're not going to keep stopping on the side of the road and picking up weirdos." He smiled. "The next one might not be as nice as me, you know."

Iruka backed up a bit, then reached over to slowly pry Kakashi's hand off his arm. "I'll be fine." He made an indiscernible face, "I grew up in some rough neighborhoods when I was a foster, before Mom and Dad adopted me. I can take care of myself."

Kakashi sighed as he watched Iruka go, who seemingly couldn't get away from him fast enough. He had always secretly thought Iruka's temper was kind of hot, but other than that the man just seemed so proper it was downright boring. Kakashi was quickly realizing how different Iruka was outside of school and he kind of liked it. He was unsure if Iruka was even gay, but either way—it looked like he had just thoroughly freaked him out.

Way to go, stud, Kakashi congratulated himself silently, as he turned to go change in the bathroom.

…..0…0…0…..

Iruka, meanwhile, was hyperventilating in the kitchen. That hit way too close to home. He looked around the room, slightly panicked, but tried to calm himself before someone found him in the kitchen. He moved so that his back was against the fridge and he could see the whole room. Then he took a deep breath. When he was a little calmer, he shakily made his way to the back door to make sure it was locked, then to the front door to do the same, poking his head into each room as he passed it to make sure they were empty and secure.

As he slipped out of the laundry room—after making sure the window was bolted—his brother intercepted him in the hallway. He paused and looked at Iruka funny for a minute, then opened his arms, asking, "Is it the hair?"

Iruka shook his head and hugged his younger brother, sighing into the warmth. "Thanks."

Naruto pulled back, peering up at Iruka. "No problem, bro, you always took care of me." He smiled and added, "You going to be okay?"

Iruka sighed, shaking his head as he said, "Um, yeah. It was just something he said, about picking up weirdos and how it could be a bad idea."

"It is a bad idea and you know Mom and Dad or Uncle wouldn't like it one bit. Especially Mom. If she finds out you picked someone up on the side of the road and then brought them home, she'll kill you herself."

"Yeah, I know." Iruka hugged himself, rubbing one hand up and down his other arm.

"It's all right this time though. Kiba and I are here and we don't like him much anyways, so, if he goes postal, we've got your back."

"Yeah," Iruka laughed, shivering a little. "But it's just a math teacher, right? No harm done."

"Right." Naruto patted his brother on the arm and then headed off to the kitchen. "Need a hand with dinner? Or…. just some company in there?"

"Naruto, it's nearly eight p.m., do you really think I'll believe you haven't eaten dinner by now? I got home really late."

Naruto turned as they made it into the kitchen, then reached for the pantry door as he complained, "Well, Kiba's sister made dinner and it's just not the same as his mom's cooking or yours."

Naruto made a pouty face at his brother as he pulled a bag of potato chips out of the cupboard. "Kiba and I are still hungry," he whined.

Iruka laughed, "Of course you are. Teenagers are bottomless pits, I swear. Especially boys."

"Hey!" Naruto spluttered indignantly, "Tenten can really put it away too. And have you seen Ino eat? She might look like a lady, but she eats like a pig."

Iruka laughed, "Should I tell her you said so?"

Naruto paled, waving his hands in front of himself. "No! No, of course not, she's lovely and of course Kiba eats like an animal too anyways, so it's not like, um, I mean, uh…. No! NO, please don't tell, her, she'll eat me ALIVE!" Naruto dropped to his knees comically, pulling at his hair.

Iruka sighed. "Oi, you're so dramatic. Get up and go eat your chips. I won't tell. But if you're planning on eating dinner with us, don't you dare eat the whole bag!"

Naruto hopped to his feet and raced out, calling back, "I won't! I'll share with Kiba."

"Naruto!" Iruka popped his head out of the kitchen door, only to bump right into Kakashi. "Ooops, sorry."

Kakashi smiled as Iruka backed up into the kitchen. "No problem." He spun around as he entered the room, saying, "Ta-da! I changed."

Iruka rolled his eyes. "Good for you. Now give me some space if you want to eat tonight."

Kakashi crossed his arms, and Iruka raised an eyebrow. "If you're going to cause trouble, Hatake, I can always toss you back out onto your ass in that storm."

Kakashi huffed, but turned around and went down the hall into the room he had assumed was the living room. Peeking around, he saw the two boys huddled around a gaming system in front of the TV. Definitely the living room, all right.

He took a seat on the couch behind the boys, but very quickly tired of watching their game and listening to them on their headsets, interacting with two people who seemed to be his other students, Tenten and Lee. He cleared his throat to interrupt, but when neither boy paid him any mind, he sighed and reached forward to tap one on the shoulder.

Kakashi paused, then decided on Kiba, hoping he'd be more polite since he was a guest as well and had obviously been in awe when a teacher had shown up. Naruto, on the other hand, seemed very at home in his brother's place and since said brother was a teacher himself, that didn't seem to cow him either. Having settled his decision, he tapped the brunet boy on the shoulder.

Kiba paused his game and turned around. "Yes?"

Naruto squawked as the screen froze, "Hey, Kiba! What are you—" he turned, then sighed. "Oh." He made a cross between and frowny face and a pouty one.

Kakashi resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He figured that he ought to at least make an effort to be nice to his host's little brother, so he went with a polite, "Is there anything for me to do here? Our host seems to have kicked me out of the kitchen."

Naruto scowled, then spat venomously, "If you know what's good for you, you'll stay out of the kitchen." He turned back to his game abruptly and grabbed at Kiba to get him to do the same. Even the other boy seemed surprised at Naruto's outburst. Though the boy was often rude, he was a very cheerful person and anger didn't seem to suit him well.

Kiba pulled back a bit. "Dude, what's up with you? He just asked a question." Kiba then turned to Kakashi. "Sorry teach. I'm not going to be much help in that department. We only ever play games and watch movies when I'm over. I think there might be some books in there though? I've seen Iruka with a few." He motioned vaguely to the coffee table, which seemed to double as a storage chest.

As Kakashi nodded and headed back to the couch and coffee table, he overheard Kiba whisper, "Overreact, much, dude?" as he elbowed Naruto.

Naruto muttered back, "You know Ruka doesn't like other people in the kitchen alone with him, 'cept me and Mom, Kiba. Whether he's a teacher or not, that rule applies to him as well. Especially with his ridiculous hair."

Kakashi rubbed at his hair self-consciously, a little miffed and offended. Sure, it stood up at odd angles sometimes and he'd gone grey early—he was only in his early thirties—but hey, that wasn't his fault, it ran in his family!

As the boys went back to their game, Kakashi settled on the couch and pulled the coffee table towards him. He opened it and sure enough, there were definitely stacks of novels in there; mostly what looked like mysteries by a guy named Max Collins and, interestingly enough, a whole bunch of books about the history of martial arts. There were also a few other mysteries, some cookbooks, two or three books about ocean life and a new PD book that just came out for teachers to work with the new 'Math Perfect!' program. Kakashi hmph'ed. He owned it too. Judging by Iruka's copy, he hadn't read it either. Kakashi smiled. Pre-packaged teaching that was ready to roll out by box corporations was crap anyways. Better to make up your own resources and lessons.

Then, stacked underneath, behind a book about baseball and another about medicinal herbs, there were what looked like photo albums. Jackpot! Kakashi smiled to himself. This was going to be sooo much better than a mystery or a martial arts history book.

…..0…0…0…..

A. N. I want to get a solid backstory in before they just jump into bed with each other.…. Even though I don't think I'll be patient enough for that to stick. Besides, I'm a little disenchanted with sex right now…. It's so much better to write it than actual real life- real life sex is kind of disappointing…. Or maybe yaoi has just spoiled me and I'll never look at sex the same way again. Sigh….


	3. Friends

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and I am making no money writing fanfiction.

…..0…0…0…..

Kakashi smiled to himself, going through the photo albums on the couch. The boys were effectively ignoring him and judging by the smells coming from the kitchen, Iruka was busily working on dinner. Kakashi liked it that way though, and pored over the pictures that seemed to tell Iruka and Naruto's life stories with no distractions. The albums were dated, thank goodness Iruka was organized, so it was easy to create a visual timeline. The first pictures in the collection were of Iruka and two young brunets that Kakashi _assumed_ were his birth parents. There were very few of those pictures, and the ones that _were _there were faded and the edges were uneven and darkened, almost as if the pictures had been singed.

Kakashi shivered as he fingered the edges of one of the pictures. If his gut was right, he'd bet Iruka's birth parents had died in a fire- and that the few pictures Iruka had were probably the only ones that survived. Kakashi shook his head to clear it. His own parents had died when he was young as well. Next, there were various pictures of Iruka and a scarred man with a government ID badge that read: _I. Moreno, CFS_; posing at different fast food joints and sometimes with other kids or couples. Again, Kakashi made a few assumptions (reasonable, he figured, given the badge) and guessed these were probably photos of Iruka and his social worker, maybe even some of his foster families. The odd thing about _these_ pictures were that a lot of them seemed to be severely cropped and in most of the ones that were, the cut off part was where Iruka's or the social worker's arm would have been draped, presumably, over a person.

Kakashi continued on to the next album, smiling when the first picture looking up at him was a beaming pre-teen Iruka with his social worker again and a middle-aged couple he recognized as Naruto's parents, with a banner in the background that read, _Welcome Home, Iruka!_, and was covered in glitter. The woman had long blond hair and a severe, but beautiful, face. The rather buxom blonde had her arm wrapped around Iruka's small frame. The man had wild white hair that he seemed to try and tame in a low ponytail and he was looking lovingly at Iruka and the woman, (either that or the giant cake behind them) so Kakashi assumed this was probably his adoption party.

The rest of that album was full of family vacation photos from places all over the country and some from what looked like Asia. The photo album spanned what seemed to be Iruka's early teens. There were a lot of pictures with three dark-haired kids, two boys and a girl, who seemed to be close friends of Iruka's. There were also a lot of what seemed to be yearly family reunion photos, featuring what was proclaimed in several banners as the "Konoha" family. One older gentleman and what seemed to be his son and daughter were often featured with Iruka and his parents in particular.

Kakashi startled as he heard Iruka holler, "Ten minutes till dinner!"

He peeked up and contemplated the door, deciding he had time for one more album. This album had many of the same faces, and it looked like Iruka was in his late teens. There were shots of Iruka on a high school football team (Kakashi snorted, he preferred track and field) and a lot of he and his parents on vacations again. There were also many, many of Iruka and his same three friends and two cousins at the beach or pool. Kakashi decided he liked the way Iruka looked in just swimming trunks. Then he continued to flip through pages, where he found what looked like Naruto's adoption party, featuring the boy as a pudgy blond kindergartner on Iruka's lap with their parents behind them; one hand each on Iruka's shoulders and their mom reaching around to hold the little one's hand, all smiling brightly into the camera. The same social worker was in the background, smiling peacefully at the small family from under a banner that read, _Welcome Home, Naruto! _in rainbow letters.

The next few pages were definitely done in a professional studio and featured the brothers in various poses at yearly intervals. There were still a few family vacation photos after that, but Kakashi could see how much their parents had aged and the pictures focused more on Iruka and Naruto, with their parents seen relaxing in the background or, perhaps behind the camera, Kakashi mused. There were a few empty spots where it seemed photos had been torn out, from a few years ago, when Iruka would have been his early twenties and Naruto a pre-teen. Kakashi wondered about it briefly, then continued onto the more recent photos, some candids of Naruto that Iruka had probably taken and a few wallet-sized photo booth strips of the brothers goofing off. He smiled to himself…. until he was interrupted by an angry teenager.

Naruto yanked the album out of his hands. "_What _do you think you're doing?"

Kakashi looked up, slowly blinking up into the icy blue eyes of his student. Now, if Kakashi had ever been afraid of a student, now would be it, looking up at the teen that seemed to exude a foreboding posture _despite_ his small stature. Kakashi blinked owlishly.

When he didn't get an answer, Naruto dropped the album on the couch and moved in closer, reaching for Kakashi's shirt collar as he growled out a low, "I _said, _what are you _doi-_"

"Naruto!" Kakashi's gaze snapped to the door, where Iruka looked on, mouth agape and obviously embarrassed. "We do _not_ man handle our guests!" was barked out loudly, followed by an almost imperceptibly muttered, "Especially when they write your report cards…."

Naruto gestured wildly at the abandoned album, "That's _none_ of Hatake's business!"

As Iruka's eyes followed his brother's waving hand and fell on the forgotten pictures, he breathed a small, "Oh."

Iruka cleared his throat and looked at the boys. "Guys, go dish up before it gets cold."

Sensing that as a dismissal, both teens nodded and shuffled out, Naruto giving one final backwards glance and glare at his math teacher. Iruka sighed and moved to pick up the album.

"Well," he began, as Kakashi watched him tidy the space, looking anywhere but at Kakashi himself, "I guess there's nothing much for me to say, except to apologize. My brother isn't usually like that."

Kakashi nodded, then realizing Iruka wouldn't see it, voiced a firm, "I know."

Iruka turned, sat on the coffee table and faced Kakashi. "He's just a little sensitive about some things. He had it worse than I did in foster care and we've been basically inseparable since my parents adopted him; so mostly he's just worried on my behalf and I can't really begrudge him that…." he trailed off, seeming unsure of what else to say, or maybe unwilling to share.

"No…. I guess not." Kakashi scratched at the back of his neck. "No harm done, I guess."

Iruka looked puzzled. "You're just going to let it go? Easy as that?" Kakashi could hear the surprise in Iruka's voice and decided that maybe he should try to appear a bit more social and approachable while out interacting with the world.

"I'm not as Grinch-y as people make me out to be, you know…." he dropped his hand to the couch limply.

Iruka startled and put his hands up, "No! That's not what I meant…. I- just…. I mean; he was _really _in your face and—"

Kakashi cut him off. "Well, I _am _in his brother's, _your_, house, which is sort of his turf, I guess and I _was _kind of, sort of, maybe snooping a bit, so-"

Iruka laughed. "Ok. No harm, no foul. How about we join them for some dinner?"

Kakashi nodded and got up to follow as Iruka led the way to the kitchen.

…..0…0…0…..

Dinner was awkward at first, with Naruto stealing furtive glances at Kakashi and Kiba kicking him and mumbling, "Lay _off _him, we wanna pass math, remember?" every now and then.

Iruka, for his part, seemed to be studiously trying to ignore the tension between the three and, oddly enough, Kakashi noticed, shrinking himself as far back into the corner of his booth style seating as he could go and never once putting his knife down—though he _was _subtle about it, keeping his hand low and beside his plate, and putting his fork down instead to grasp his glass in his other hand every so often.

Kakashi also noticed that the brunet was rather nervous, frequently shooting glances to the doors and the counter (where Kakashi noted, was the whole rest of the block of kitchen knives). If he didn't know the man had a criminal record check specifically to work with kids, defended his brother with fiery abandon and worked doggedly for the community, then Iruka's apparent fascination with knives _might_ scare him a bit.

As it was, the silver-haired math genius cleared his throat and began awkwardly, "So…."

Everyone looked at him expectantly. He turned to the boys and finished lamely, "How was your day?"

Naruto snorted. "Before or after your idiotic pop quiz?"

Then, "Ow, dammit!" As Kiba obviously stomped on the blond's foot. "What was that for?"

Kiba smiled at Kakashi then turned and hissed at his friend, "We still have two years of high school left, you jerk! I don't want to fail. Mom would kill me."

Naruto snorted again. "Well, _you_ can be nice then. _I'll _be honest." He looked directly at Kakashi and finished, "You shouldn't have been going through my brother's things."

Kakashi nodded. "I know."

Iruka cleared his throat and huffed out, "What's done is done. Naruto, I realize you don't want Mr. Hatake to be here and I respect that. But you _will _be polite and if you can't then you will keep to yourself." Kakashi almost thought he'd gotten off scot-free until Iruka continued, "And Mr. Hatake?"

Kakashi swallowed. "Yes?"

"I would appreciate it if you would ask before going through my things." Iruka went back to eating and effectively ignored the fuming stare his brother was still giving the math teacher and the nervous chuckle Kakashi let out before responding.

"Got it. Will do."

A few more minutes of silent chewing ensued before Kakashi ventured conversation again, "Is it usually this quiet here?"

Kiba looked up and answered, wide-eyed, around a mouthful, "_Never_. These two are a pair of the loudest loud-mouths you'll ever meet."

Naruto snorted. "Like you're one to talk, Mr. 'I-have-no-indoor-voice.'"

"I do _too_!" A red-faced Kiba shouted.

Naruto nodded and rolled his eyes with a sarcastic, "I can _see_ that and you use it _so _well."

Kiba pouted and dropped his fork on the table, crossing his arms sulkily. "I do _too._"

Iruka shook his head, shoulders relaxing a bit, but Kakashi noticed, grip still not loosening on the knife, "Kiba, please don't speak with your mouth full and Naruto, why do you bait him like that?"

Naruto looked across the table, "He called us loudmouths!"

Iruka raised an eyebrow. "We _are _loudmouths."

Naruto pouted and pointed at his friend, "Yeah, well, so is he!"

Iruka tutted. "Don't sweat it, kiddo. Small stuff, you know?"

"Yeah," Naruto nodded, "I know."

Kakashi decided to give it one last go as he turned to Iruka and said, "Um, how was your day?" almost dreading another outburst from one of the unpredictable teenagers.

Iruka smiled warmly at him and let the hand holding the knife fall all the way to the tabletop, almost, but not quite, setting it down as he answered, "Well it looks like a snow day tomorrow, which means I get to sleep in. How could I possibly be in a bad mood, Mr. Hatake? How was yours?"

Kakashi smiled back, "Just Kakashi is fine, after all, we're sort of roommates now aren't we?"

Iruka laughed. "Yes, for tonight I suppose so."

"My day was interesting. Did you know that the coffee-maker in our staffroom drips an average of twenty times per minute?"

Iruka gaped at him comically and asked, incredulous, "You have time to average the number of times your coffee-maker drips in a minute?"

"Well," Kakashi spoke in what he thought to be an amiable tone, "it really doesn't take that long to calculate an average. I _am _a genius you know."

Iruka's tone cooled a bit as he answered (though Kakashi failed to notice), "I do know how to calculate an average, _Kakashi_, I'm not stupid, I just wondered how many minutes you have to sit around doing nothing _but counting drips_."

Naruto snickered into his hand, but Kakashi didn't seem to notice as he answered seriously, "Twenty before the first bell rang, then another forty-five during my prep, minus the two it took me to walk to the staff room. Another ten for our two five-minute breaks together, minus the walking time, again, of course. The twenty-three it took me to wait for my tea water to boil and steep after school, so…. Ninety-two minutes exactly, which is about an hour and a half plus two minutes, but that was only today, I counted some yesterday too and the day before that. Actually, I've been counting for a few weeks now, on and off, you know." He looked up at Iruka and smiled.

Iruka didn't seem to know how to take that, but responded with a, "I can see why people—oh, never mind." Kakashi made a 'what-did-I-do-wrong?' face and opened his mouth to speak, but Iruka smiled patiently at the silver-haired man, and waved him off saying, "For a minute there, I thought you were insulting me, you know." Kakashi gaped at him. "But, I think maybe that's just how you talk to people. It must be terribly disappointing that everyone assumes you're anti-social. Or that you're mean and egotistical- I think you're just very logical and matter-of-fact. You also say whatever pops into your head. I don't think I've ever heard you talk quite so much before though."

Iruka knew he'd said it right when Kakashi's smile lit up his entire face. "I really like math."

Iruka smiled. "I can tell."

Kakashi smiled and added a bit shyly, "I really _am_ a genius though."

Iruka smirked this time and leaned back, leaving the knife on the table, but still keeping his hand hovering over the handle near the edge of the table. "Oh, really?"

Kakashi nodded enthusiastically. "I am."

Naruto muttered, loud enough for everyone to hear, "Obviously not socially." Then coughed into his hand as Iruka stared him down and Kakashi deflated a little.

"You know," Kiba stood up, dragging Naruto with him by the elbow, "I think we need to get ready for bed."

Naruto griped and pulled his arm out of Kiba's reach, "I'm _not _leaving the kitchen."

Kiba tried frantically and comically to catch Naruto by the arm again until Iruka thumped his glass down forcefully. Both boys looked toward him. "Thank you, Naruto, but I think maybe, instead of getting ready for bed you two could clean up the kitchen since I cooked? Then our guest and I could talk in peace in the living room."

At the mention of chores, Kiba wailed horribly, "I'm a guest _too_!"

Iruka raised an eyebrow at him, "Not after four years of eating here every other night, you're not."

The boy sighed and then started clearing dishes. Naruto continued to stand there obstinately for a minute, then cleared Iruka's plate away, not taking the knife, though Iruka had finally let it go.

Iruka thanked the boys, then turned to Kakashi and asked, "How does an Old-Fashioned sound to you?"

Kakashi smiled. "Ah, a whiskey man. My kind of man."

He thumped Iruka on the back heartily and felt him freeze up, for a second thinking he'd blown the 'my kind of man' comment and tipped off the fact he was interested in men, but as they walked towards the living room, Kakashi also noticed Iruka relax visibly and couldn't help but wonder if it wasn't _him_ per se, but perhaps something about the kitchen that set his host on edge.

Iruka motioned for Kakashi to take a seat and went to mix their drinks at the cabinet, pausing to ask, "Ice or on the rocks?"

To which Kakashi responded, "On the rocks, of course."

As Iruka turned back to the shelf, heturned Kakashi's words back at him, "On the rocks, my kind of drinker. My kind of man." He smiled as he brought the drinks over and handed Kakashi his before settling in the chair to the left of the couch.

After a few sips in silence, Iruka asked, "So, what's your IQ?"

Kakashi gazed at him for a moment. Then, "It really doesn't matter, you know."

Iruka chuckled. "Never mind my brother, he really is a loudmouth. It's not boasting to be proud of yourself, goodness knows Naruto likes to toot his own horn." Iruka looked at Kakashi, who didn't answer for a long time, till Iruka almost thought he wouldn't.

"Between 142 and 147 on most tests. In the high 150s if it's only mathematical IQ…. but that doesn't really matter. Obviously I can't function normally enough to be ready for a storm or carry on a polite conversation without offending someone, eh?" He asked self-depreciatingly.

Iruka shook his head, "Don't worry about it. I offend people all the time. I'm a real loudmouth and hot-headed too."

"But everyone loves you." Kakashi sounded really small.

"Not everyone. You don't, for example." Iruka chuckled. "You've made it no secret what you think of me."

Kakashi's face sobered. "I don't mean it, you know. When I say some things…."

Kakashi was suddenly very interested in his drink. "I know I don't seem to care very much about my students and I know that's why you're always annoyed at me, because you care so much about your brother… but when I say things to you it's only because everyone's got their heckles up and I'm defensive. I—I…. guess I just don't know how to interact with people."

Kakashi had shrunk down into the cushions so low that he looked like a couch sandwich, and Iruka placed his hand gently on the other man's as he sat beside him on the couch. Kakashi looked up, startled that Iruka had moved without him noticing.

"I'm sorry for all the times I yelled at you. I guess I never thought about it from anyone's perspective but my brother's. I get kind of tunnel-vision like that for him, because I know he came from."

Kakashi looked up at Iruka rather pathetically. "Do you know how many friends I have?"

Iruka smiled down at him kindly. "One more after today?"

Kakashi chuckled. "Thanks. That brings me up to a grand total of two."

"Two?" Iruka looked shocked as he pulled his hand back and settled into the couch comfortably.

Kakashi smiled, "Yeah, and that's only if you're counting you as a friend now."

"That's got to be pretty lonely." He sank back.

"Yup."

"No wonder you have time to count coffee drips."

Kakashi laughed out loud and Iruka joined him.

"We could fix that."

Kakashi snorted. "You and what army?"

Iruka laughed. "My brother and I _are_ our _own _army. Besides, I've been teaching for nearly eight years now. I've probably got more mini-mes running around out there than most parents."

Kakashi groaned. "God help us."

"Hey!" Iruka socked him playfully in the arm and Kakashi barked out a laugh.


	4. Snooper's Research

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and I am making no money writing fanfiction.

…..0…0…0…..

After finishing their first drinks off in relative silence, other than the occasional comfortable story swap about work, the boys wandered in and Iruka sent them off to get ready for bed, as it was already eleven. Once they had departed, he regarded Kakashi for a minute, then jiggled his glass and asked, "Refills?"

Kakashi gazed at his glass, then at Iruka, his eyes pausing on the forgotten picture album at the end of the couch and answered with his own question, "Doubles?"

Iruka chuckled, "Damn, it's a snow day, we could do triples if you're up for it."

Kakashi smiled and handed his glass over. "Triples it is," secretly hoping Iruka didn't handle liquor well enough to avoid a few questions about said photo albums.

When Iruka returned a few minutes later, Kakashi had surreptitiously hidden two of the albums behind the cushion he had beside him. Taking his glass from Iruka, he tipped it in a salute and knocked back a long gulp. "That's good stuff."

Iruka smiled. "Jameson 18 Year Old Limited Reserve Irish Whiskey. It's my favourite brand. I have to ask the liquor commission to import it as it's not one of the regular brands here and if I forget and run out but haven't asked them to ship some lately, I'll sometimes drive all the way out to this little Irish restaurant in P.E.I. that imports directly from Ireland to buy a few bottles from them. I will settle for Bushmills 16 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey if I have too, though."

Kakashi whistled. "Wow, that's some real brand loyalty you've got there."

Iruka laughed. "Nah, I'm just picky. I'm like that with almost all liquors. For example, I also only drink Minskaya Vodka form Belarus or Orkisz from Poland."

"So what's your backup for that?"

"Stolichnaya Elit from Russia."

"Tequila?"

"Sol de Mexico Tequila Anejo." Catching on to Kakashi's game, he added, "But Real de Mexico Tequila Reposado if I have to, though Sol de Mexico is pretty easy to get a hold of."

"Gin."

"Langley's number 8 Distilled London Gin. Hayman's London Dry Gin if that's ever unavailable, but like the tequila, it's usually available."

"Brandy."

"Janneau 25 Year Old Single Distillery Armagnac. I can only get it when my Dad heads over to Europe though, the commission here won't even special order it because it's over a hundred a bottle."

"You have rather expensive taste in alcohol, don't you, Iruka? Mind if I ask how a Canadian school teacher came to prefer high-end imported alcohols?"

Iruka laughed. "My mom was the one who really wanted kids. Dad enjoyed having us around, sure, but it was Mom who really pushed him for a family. It wasn't until I was older that my Dad got into the father-son thing; you know, when he could take his son out for a drink to watch the latest game in a sports bar…. He liked that I played football, but our best times and the times that were really _real _were conversations over a good glass of whatever we felt like that day- and believe me, my Dad had a lot to choose from. He travels a lot on book tours—he's an author, you know—and picks up his favourites when he visits other countries. I guess his favourites sort of became my favourites. Except for the brandy…. we disagree on that one, but he still gets me my Janneau whenever he's in France. What are dads for, other than to feed your expensive brandy habit, right?"

"So your dad is an author?"

"Yup. And my mom was in politics for a while, until the press got a hold of one of Dad's unpublished transcripts. It was rather risqué, so she went back to private law practice. That was all before me, though. I came along the year after the scandal, when my parents had re-settled and my mom realized that after concentrating on her career so long, she wanted a family pretty badly."

"Do you still drink with your dad?"

"Every Sunday after dinner. When they're in town, that is. It's kind of our tradition to have a giant Sunday dinner—we start the day at church because my mom loves her church, then it's brunch followed by a lazy family games day and a home cooked meal. Mom loves her housekeeper, because she's a wonderful cook but won't do meals everyday—only once a week—so Mom chose Sundays. The housekeeper's daughter, Shizune, is a wonderful cook as well." Iruka smiled distractedly and Kakashi wondered if perhaps Iruka had a thing for Shizune.

The thought kind of made Kakashi's tummy turn, so he changed the subject, "That's a nice tradition. Tell me about your first drink then." He waggled his eyebrows.

Iruka downed the last of his triple and eyed the bottom of the glass in mild disappointment. "Ha! You don't want to know."

"Yeah I do." Kakashi bumped his shoulder into Iruka's and looked at him encouragingly.

"When I was still in care, when I was ten, I was pretty stupid. This dumb friend of mine convinced me to drink with him. He was a year older than me and we were inseparable. We lifted a bottle of cheap vodka from our foster parents' cupboard and took off. I got so piss drunk that I fell off my bike riding back home and got this huge ugly split right across my nose." Iruka looked down.

Kakashi nudged his shoulder gently again with his own. "It's not ugly."

Iruka snorted, but Kakashi could see a small smile play lightly at his lips as he mumbled a slurry, "Thanks."

Kakashi fingered the corner of the album sticking out form behind the nearby pillow. He paused for a second, then, "Is that the friend who's cut out of all your pictures?"

Iruka looked up, startled, and a pained look flashed across his face before his features settled into a panicked deer-caught-in-the-headlights expression. "How did? I-"

Iruka cut himself off abruptly by standing up, schooling his features into a deceptive calm facade and setting his glass on the end table.

Kakashi watched him, a little taken aback by the reaction.

"I think it's time for bed." Iruka reached over and plucked Kakashi's empty glass from his fingers, placing it on the end table beside his own.

"You can sleep in the guest room, I'll show you there." Iruka disappeared briskly from the room and Kakashi hurried to follow, sorry he'd pushed the envelope.

…..0…0…0…..

The little guest room was cozy, Kakashi decided, but after his evening, there was no way Kakashi was ready for bed. He heard Iruka close his own door down the hall and what sounded like soft snoring coming from the next room over, where he'd seen Naruto and Kiba sprawled on a twin bed and sleeping bag full of body pillows and floor cushions, respectively, through the slightly open door on his and Iruka's' way up. He silently padded over to his own door and closed it with a barely audible click and went to rifle through his satchel.

Finding what he was looking for, Kakashi held his prize up in triumph, his laptop gleaming in the moonlight streaming in the window. The room was light enough that he didn't need to turn on the beside lamp, thanks to all the reflection off the snow outside and he didn't want to risk someone knowing he was awake and coming in, that would be bad for what he had in mind.

Getting comfy under the navy and cornflower blue patchwork quilt, he quickly booted up the machine and sat back waiting for the Internet window to load his homepage.

He typed in Google's address and then into the search bar, **Iruka Umino-Senju, Campbellton, New Brunswick**.

The top three hits were all about a teaching award that Kakashi vaguely remembered Iruka winning last year, followed by an article in a local paper's archives about Iruka coaching middle school basketball. The next two hits weren't about Kakashi's Iruka at all (funny how he'd begun to think of him as such…. it would not be good for his mental health if Iruka turned out to be straight, he knew), but some fictional ninja character Iruka Umino from a popular manga. Then there was one about a famous local politician, Tsunade Senju adopting an eleven-year-old Iruka Umino.

Kakashi clicked on that link and did a double take after reading the full article. Apparently, Iruka's dad wasn't just ANY old author, but the world-renowned Jiraiya, who wrote children's novels such as the "Tales of a Gutsy Ninja," series that Kakashi had read when he was a kid and knew several colleagues that had the entire series in their classroom. Now that he thought about it, Iruka's comment about his mom's career made more sense now. The silver-haired man remembered a scandal about eighteen years back, when he was a young teen, about Tsunade losing major points in her electoral ward after her husband's editor leaked a copy of an adults' only book, "Icha Icha Paradise" that had been penned by the children's author. Kakashi snorted, also remembering that Jiraiya had switched publishers afterwards, when it was found out the editor had leaked the copy via a tabloid reporter for two thousand bucks.

The erotic novel was actually very well written—Kakashi had a copy of it himself and he was surprised that one of his favourite author's sons had been right under his nose—though, he surmised, in his defense, that Iruka and Naruto had both kept their biological parents' name and hyphenated it with their adoptive parents' and Jiraiya did not write under his real name, but under a pseudonym—hence why Kakashi hadn't immediately made the connection.

As he clicked back to the search page results, Kakashi mused further, remembering that the uncle and two cousins in Iruka's photos looked an awful lot like the Sarutobis', a family Kakashi had spent a lot of time with as a very young child- though he hadn't seen them since his father died when he was seven. The Sarutobi patriarch, Hiruzen, had owned a bodyguard service company that worked very closely with his mother's alarm system company and his father's police dog training and breeding company.

Kakashi decided that it really was rather disappointing that after his parents' deaths he had lost touch with the Sarutobi kids, otherwise he may have known Iruka when he was that smiling teenager in the swim trunks and he wouldn't have wasted so much time thinking the man was a self-righteous prude. _Oh well, what's done is done. I can still try to make a go of it…. If he swings my way._

Reading through the rest of the results, Kakashi was annoyed to note that none of the other listings pertained to his Iruka either. He navigated back to the search bar and typed in some of the additional information he had learned from the article about Iruka and his mom. Iruka had originally come from about eight or nine hours drive away, in Sherbrooke Quebec and his parents had officially adopted him seventeen years ago. With the new parameters of: **Iruka Umino, Sherbrooke, Quebec, 1997**, very different results popped up.

The first one was an article about foster children being left alone in hotel rooms with little to no supervision due to lack of foster parents, with just a one-line quote from Iruka himself, saying it, "sucked," while there were multiple quotes from his social worker, Ibiki Moreno, who seemed to agree with Iruka's view, though he was more politically correct about it. There was also a small quote from another child, and given the ages in the article, it made Kakashi wonder if he had found Iruka's mysterious friend, a certain Mizuki Otogakure.

Perusing the list of other sites and articles, Kakashi decided none of them were good enough to hold his attention, so he again clicked his mouse over the search bar and this time typed in, **Iruka Umino, Mizuki Otogakure**.

His jaw nearly dropped as an image of Iruka in a hospital bed, beside a picture of a white-haired man's mug shot appeared next to the top web hit.


	5. Puzzled

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and I am making no money writing fanfiction.

…..0…0…0…..

It took him a moment to recover, but as soon as he did, Kakashi followed the top hyperlink. This is the article he read:

**Local Opens Home to Friend, Brutally Attacked**

_A local man, son of renowned prosecutor Tsunade Senju, is said to be in critical condition at the hospital tonight after having picked up an old friend on the side of the highway. Iruka Umino-Senju moved to the small town of Campbellton, New Brunswick, around ten years ago, from a foster home in Sherbrooke, Quebec. Early last week sources say Umino was driving home when he spotted an old friend, and former fellow foster child, Mizuki Otogakure, hitch-hiking on the side of the highway. _

_Friends describe Umino as warm, friendly and trusting. He is currently in the third year of his bachelor's degree at the local university and hopes to study education. According to friends of Umino's father, Otogakure grew up in many of the same homes as Umino and the two were very close before Umino's adoption. They also state that both he and Senju believe Otogakure was a bad influence on their son and were glad the pair parted ways shortly after bringing Umino home to Campbellton._

_Police say that Otogakure never made it out of the foster system and instead went from group home to group home, continually causing trouble. At twenty-two, Otogakure already has a criminal record, including petty theft, armed robbery, possession of an unregistered firearm and assault charges. He spent his late teens bouncing in and out of juvenile hall for gang related activity._

_It seems Umino was not aware of Otogakure's recent history and brought him home to try and help out an old friend who was down on his luck. Otogakure had been spending several months in Umino's home before tragedy struck. Late yesterday afternoon, Umino's younger brother (whose name cannot be released due to the privacy protection act for minors) was dismissed from a summer camp program early and made his way to Umino's apartment. _

_Neighbours report that shortly after the brother's arrival, yelling could be heard within the residence and when officers arrived on the scene, they found the youth trying to stem the bleeding from a large stab wound on Umino's back in the kitchen. _

_Witnesses say they heard Otogakure tell Umino that he was a traitor, and that he didn't deserve to be adopted by a good family. He is described as being frantic and raving. Accounts also indicate he was very agitated when Umino stepped between the attacker and his brother, presumably to protect the youth._

_Umino sustained several life-threatening injuries, including multiple blows to the head and a deep laceration across his back from a kitchen knife. He is currently recovering in a private hospital suite, where his mother refuses any media coverage. _

_Otogakure fled the scene, but was apprehended later trying to leave town in a stolen vehicle. He is in custody tonight and is being charged with utterance of threats, involuntary confinement, aggravated assault, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and attempted murder._

The article was dated around seven years ago, Kakashi noted, while he had been out of town, working on his second last year in the education program at the University of Brandon. He was surprised he had never heard of the story before now, given the small-town nature of Campbellton, but given that he wasn't very social, coupled with being out of town and Iruka's mom minimizing press, he supposed it wasn't _too_ much of a stretch that he didn't know.

Still, it gave him the chills to think of what Iruka and Naruto had lived through and he figured that explained all of the weird behavior. Of _course _Naruto wouldn't appreciate his brother bringing someone home that he picked up on the road—even someone they knew and he _definitely_ understood why he wanted Kakashi to stay out of the albums and kitchen now. Kakashi was almost 100% sure that it was indeed Mizuki who was cut out of all the pictures and from what he could see of the man's mug shot above the article, it was no wonder Naruto hated his hair- it's silver-white tone was mere shades different than Mizuki's own blue-grey.

The situation also explained Iruka's unwillingness to have anyone with him in the kitchen and his previously inexplicable fascination with the kitchen knives. He was guarding them; either that or he was always ready to fight back. Kakashi sighed sadly. He didn't think he'd be able to sleep very well tonight and now he was feeling doubly guilty for asking Iruka about the missing friend in the pictures.

He closed the laptop and set it aside, slid down beneath the covers and closed his eyes, but Kakashi barely slept a wink all night.

…..0…0…0…..

As predicted, the snowfall and low visibility was severe enough that most of the town was closed the next day. Radio stations were obviously running, Kakashi noted, as he listened to his favourite station and waited for the rest of the house to wake up. Plough crews were also out and about, trying to clear the roads for emergency vehicles, if nothing else. Hospitals and dispatch centers were also running, as was the power plant, trying to keep wires from weighing down and freezing. Everything else was at a standstill, including schools (obviously), government offices, commercial centres and most private businesses (it could be assumed). There were also no forms of public transportation operating and there would be no mail delivery for the day. Even the local news station was operating with minimal staff and only putting out the weather forecast and emergency bulletins.

As he heard activity in the hall, he crept over to his door and peeked out. It seemed as though no one was awake, so he assumed the boys were still out cold, but the slightly open door to Iruka's room made Kakashi believe he was up and about, just being quiet about it. He went back into his own room and changed into yesterday's clothes, which were now dry from hanging on the radiator.

Kakashi doubted Iruka would take too kindly to finding him in the kitchen, but when he passed his host's room and heard the shower turn on, he figured he had time before Iruka made his way downstairs. _Perhaps_, he thought, _I can start to replace some bad memories about grey-haired men in the kitchen with some good ones. _He smiled to himself, and hurried downstairs.

…..0…0…0…..

When Iruka finished his shower, it was already about 9:00am, a full hour and a half later than he would usually be ready to go for the day. He stretched and smiled, noting how much good the extra hour of sleep and half an hour under the warm spray had done him. He was relaxed and ready for a good day off. He figured the triple from last night had helped a bit too, as it was enough to loosen him up while not enough to give him a hangover (thank goodness).

He opened his bedroom door fully to let out some of the steam from his in-suite bathroom and noted, smiling dryly to himself that the boys weren't up yet, and the math teacher's door was still closed (so he assumed Kakashi wasn't up either). He dressed in loose heather-grey sweatpants and a form-fitting white V-neck tee. He decided to blow dry his shoulder length hair to avoid a chill and sniffed at a forest green zip-up hoodie. _Eh, still clean._

Slipping his feet into fluffy camo-patterned slippers, he headed downstairs.

…..0…0…0…..

Kakashi had already made coffee, bacon and eggs by the time he heard the water upstairs shut off (it was easy to tell if you stood by the kitchen sink—obviously the pipes ran right by). Figuring time was almost up; he quickly set about mixing up some instant pancake batter. _Not as good as my homemade, but hey, I'm in a pinch._

He breathed a sigh of relief as he heard the high whirr of a blow dryer bing turned on, because he figured it would take Iruka at least another fifteen minutes to be ready and get down here, which gave Kakashi another solid ten minutes at worst.

He set the table for four and poured two cups of coffee, making sure to toss all dirty dishes in the dishwasher, keep the knife block where it was (he hadn't even taken one out) and finally, made sure he was in full view of the kitchen door for when his host got downstairs.

As he waited the last couple of minutes, he nervously shifted positions against the counter a few times and sipped absently at his coffee.

…..0…0…0…..

As Iruka made his way downstairs, he was puzzled by the smell of coffee and bacon. He knew his brother wasn't up or he would have heard him (goodness knows the boy was a klutz) and Kiba, though helpful, really couldn't make a pot of coffee to save his life. That left…. Kakashi. _Oh, shit._

Iruka made his way down cautiously, knowing logically that everything was okay—his guest was probably just being helpful…. but still struggling with his irrational fear—how to handle being in the kitchen alone with the math teacher?

As he approached the kitchen, he could definitely see Kakashi through the doorway; he was leaning on the counter and sipping coffee, obviously watching the door for anyone who got up next. Forcing a smile, Iruka slowly entered the kitchen.

"Good morning." He nodded, skirting the math teacher, without actually turning his back on him and making for the coffee pot.

"Good morning," Kakashi smiled pleasantly over the rim of his cup. "I actually poured you one already."

Iruka looked at the table where Kakashi had indicated and indeed, noticed a navy blue mug of steaming coffee.

"Thanks." Iruka lifted the mug, smiling (albeit a little stiffly) at his houseguest and skirted him again, still keeping the front of his body turned towards the man at all times, and edging over (as inconspicuously as possible) to the fridge, where he poured cream into his cup.

Kakashi, noting right away the strained quality of Iruka's smile and definitely noticing the fact the man wouldn't turn his back on him at any cost, sighed sadly to himself and made his way over to the table, making sure to leave the corner most seat for his fretting host and taking the seat completely opposite, where Iruka would be able to see him easily the whole meal, without having to peer sideways.

Iruka relaxed visibly as Kakashi took a seat, noting with relief that he'd have a clear view of the silver-haired man from his preferred seat in the corner; the one where he could see the whole kitchen and both doors at once. He glanced towards the knife block but resisted the urge to pick one up, knowing it would be odd to bring a steak knife to eat bacon and eggs and telling himself he was just being irrational as he took deep, calming breaths.

Iruka slid into his seat and smiled, a little more genuinely, at his guest. "You managed to find everything to make breakfast."

Kakashi smiled again, putting down his cup and reaching for the plate of bacon. "You have a very organized kitchen. It wasn't too hard. I hope you don't mind?"

Iruka pulled a couple of fried eggs onto his plate from the platter on the table and returned it. "No, of course not. I hope you weren't waiting too long?"

Kakashi passed Iruka the bacon plate and reached for the pepper. "I'm an early riser. I like quiet mornings."

Iruka thanked him and then put the plate to the side when he was done dishing up. "Did you have a good rest?"

Kakashi paused mid-bite, then lowered his fork and smiled. "I definitely had an eye-opening night. I, uh, did some research on my computer and made a lot of progress into this really important interest of mine."

"Oh?" Iruka looked up from his plate. "I hope you were comfortable enough…. I know it's difficult not to sleep in your own bed sometimes."

"Oh, no, it's nothing like that. I was very comfortable, that quilt you have that looks homemade is very warm and comfy. I just…. found out some facts that were kind of difficult to swallow about this interest of mine."

Iruka looked up, concern starting to tinge his features. "Maybe it's not the best interest for you, then. Are you sure everything is all right?"

Kakashi smiled. "Believe me, I think this new interest is the best thing that's happened to me in a long while."

Iruka shrugged. "Anything I'd be interested in?"

Kakashi swallowed a chuckle, but allowed himself a smile, "I'm hoping so. But—"

He was interrupted by two teenage boys shuffling in. Naruto yawned and quickly glanced around the kitchen, his stance rigid for a moment until Iruka shook his head almost imperceptibly.

Kiba peeked out from behind his friend, shouted, "Breakfast!" and booked it to the table with no qualms (or manners to be seen) whatsoever.

Naruto took a seat, eying both men cautiously with a measured, "Smells good."

Iruka nodded. "Kakashi was kind enough to make breakfast this morning. Don't know how he managed so quietly, but hey—it's food and I'm not complaining." he finished with a smile.

Naruto nodded. "Thanks."

Kakashi smiled, hoping the boy would eventually warm up to him more and then he looked back at Iruka meaningfully. "Could we talk about this more later? I think it's important, but…." he trailed off, glancing surreptitiously at the boys.

Iruka caught his gaze and nodded, not sure what kind of interest Kakashi would need to hide from the teens, but answered, "Of course."

"Hey, can I have some coffee?"

Kakashi glanced at Iruka, who was looking at Kiba. "No. Your mom wouldn't like you to have the stuff. It's loaded with caffeine, you know."

"You drink it!" Kiba whined.

"No."

"Can I?" Iruka stared deadpan at his brother.

"No."

"But it's so early! I'm tired…" Naruto plunked his head onto the table.

"It's already quarter to ten. If it weren't a snow day, you'd have been at school for an hour already. Stop complaining, or maybe I'll make you go to bed earlier."

Naruto glared half-heartedly at his brother from the table, then sighed and pouted. "No fair."

"I'm not stupid enough to let the pair of you have coffee, especially if you're spending the day here. It'd be like giving chipmunks espresso—I'd never get you to calm down."

Kakashi snorted a laugh into his coffee, spilling it down the front of his shirt. "Damn!"

Iruka grabbed the nearest tea towel off the stove and tossed it to the silver-haired man. "It's all right. You can borrow one of mine again after breakfast."

Kakashi smiled. "Thanks. And by the way, there's pancakes keeping warm in the oven, guys."

Naruto and Kiba both perked up comically, earning a smile from Iruka as they clambered over to the oven.

"Who knew the math dude could cook!" Kiba exclaimed, piling his plate high.

"Oh, that's nothing," Kakashi interjected. "You should taste them when I make them from scratch."

Naruto turned to Kakashi and smiled a genuine smile. "I guess you learn something new everyday, even about people. Thanks for breakfast."

Kiba headed into the living room with a, "Don't spill on my couch!" from Iruka.

Naruto paused, looking back at the table, then towards his brother. Iruka smiled and waved him off. Kakashi noted Naruto glance at him with a doubtful 'are you sure?' plainly written on his face, but Iruka just smiled. "Don't you spill either."

Naruto nodded and with one last backward glance, left the kitchen. It made Kakashi inordinately happy that Iruka felt safe enough to be alone with him in the kitchen.

"Here," Iruka motioned to Kakashi, "Let's go get you a clean –"

The brunet was interrupted by the chime of the doorbell.

He made a face, clearly puzzled, "What the? Who'd be out in this weather?" but he made his way to the front door nonetheless, Kakashi following behind like a puppy.

As Iruka opened the door, Kakashi stepped back a bit so as not to be in the way. As the door opened, a tiny avalanche of snow poured in the poor from where it was piled at least knee high. A man entirely bundled up from head to toe stumbled in and Iruka caught him by the arm. The man pushed the door closed behind himself and stomped some of the snow from his feet.

"Sorry, Ruka," Kakashi heard the man say, though it was muffled by his layers of winter clothing.

Iruka regarded the snow on the floor for a second, then smiled kindly at the man, "No problem, Suma. What brings you over here?"

The man began to unwrap his head from scarf and recognition dawned on Kakashi—this was the cousin from the albums, and indeed—he was a Sarutobi as Kakashi had surmised last night—he was almost a spitting image of his parents' former business partner, Hiruzen. Kakashi also remembered Iruka mentioning as they pulled up last night that one of his uncle's sons lived in one of the two other townhouses (which made the genius feel a bit dumb for not putting two and two together last night, but now it was right in front of him and he wanted to face palm), which would explain how the man had gotten here—it was only a few feet from the yard over.

"We've run out of pickles, Ruka, and you know how Kurenai has been in this trimester. She wants pickles and I'm not braving the roads for a damn jar of pickles, no matter how much I love her, so we made a deal. I told her I'd check next door with Tsume and then over here with you. Tsume didn't have any, so please, PLEASE tell me you have pickles."

Iruka laughed heartily and thumped his cousin on the back. "Come on in, Asuma. I'll go get them. I've had extra stuff on hand since you told me you were expecting. Goodness knows Kurenai and I couldn't count on you for organization! Will you stay for a cup of coffee? Sounds like you and Kurenai could use a little break from each other."

Asuma let a small chuckle escape as he sighed and Iruka disappeared back down the hall. "I resent that, cuz…. But damn, you're a lifesaver!"

As Kakashi moved to follow Iruka back into the kitchen, Asuma finally noticed him. "Oi! Who're you? Ruka didn't mention a new guy."

"New guy?" Kakashi turned slowly back towards Asuma, hoping he'd heard (and understood) him right.

"Yeah," Asuma continued to take off his winter gear, hanging his coat in the closet, "new guy. Not too bright, are you?"

"I'm actually a gen—"

Iruka appeared again at Kakashi's elbow, unintentionally interrupting him, brandishing a jar of pickles.

"I've got them, Suma. Oh and if you want—" he looked from one to the other, obviously noting some tension, "Ooops, sorry. I forgot to introduce you."

Iruka put the jar on the hall table and smiled, gesturing between the two. "Kakashi, this is my cousin, Asuma. He lives in the townhouse two doors down with his wife Kurenai. Asuma, this is Kakashi Hatake, Naruto's math teacher."

Asuma frowned. "Hatake," he mumbled, "Hatake…."

Kakashi interrupted his thoughts. "We haven't seen each other since I was about seven, but we have met. My name sounds familiar because my parents used to work with your father. Your father is Hiruzen, right?"

Asuma's head snapped up. "That's right! The scrawny kid with the pug. Wow, it's been a really long time, man. So, you're a math teacher now, huh? Wouldn't ave pegged you for it. Not my cousin's new boyfriend…. Sorry about the confusion. He doesn't usually bring new guys home, so I was little excited that maybe he was out of his rut."

Kakashi, though slightly offended about the scrawny remark (he was _lithe_, thank you very much, not _scrawny_), was far more interested in Iruka's reaction than anything. As he watched, the brunet went from his natural tan hue to blanched, then red as a tomato in under ten seconds.

"Asuma!" said cousin turned to Iruka, took in his tense posture and red face and paled slightly himself.

"He didn't know? Sorry, cuz, I just assumed…. I mean he's in your house and everything, so…." Asuma trailed off, obviously uncomfortable about accidentally outing his cousin in front of company.

Iruka turned ever so slowly to face Kakashi and breathed out slowly, "Sorry if it makes you uncomfortable. I—"

Kakashi interrupted quickly, "Not at all."

What he really wanted to do was tell Iruka that of course he understood completely and that it was a relief, actually, since he was definitely falling for him, but it seemed rather contrived to admit he was gay right then, so he kept his mouth shut.

Asuma cleared his throat nervously. "Is it still okay if I stay for a cuppa?"

Iruka glared at him sternly for a moment, then rolled his eyes and gestured to the living room. Kakashi wanted to give Iruka plenty of time to cool down and get comfortable again, so he opted to follow Asuma into the living room rather than tag along to the kitchen.

After taking opposite ends of the couch, Asuma turned his head to look at Kakashi. "So, what you said about being cool with my cousin's orientation…. You better have meant it. I don't know why you're here, exactly—you teachers do a lot of weird meetings and think-tank crap, but if you—"

Kakashi cut him off, "If I wasn't okay with it, it'd be like the pot calling the kettle black."

He reclined, leaning his head back into the cushions to wait for it, that dawning moment of realization and almost closing his eyes, barely slitting them to watch Asuma's reaction without the man knowing. _One, two, and—there it is._

Asuma looked up, "You're?"

Kakashi sat back up. "He doesn't know either."

"Oh."

"And you want to—"

"Keep it that way." Kakashi turned to watch as Iruka entered with a tray. He made eye contact with Asuma before adding, "For now."

Asuma frowned, but nodded.

"Okay," Iruka set the tray down and plopped into the chair nearest the door, which, Kakashi noted happily, was also the one closest to himself. "So, we've already had coffee this morning, so I brought tea as well."

Asuma eyed the tray. "Have more company, Ruka?"

"Oh," Iruka looked at the mugs, "They're in case the boys come down. Naruto's over and so's Kiba."

Asuma laughed. "Those two are going to eat you out of house and home one day, cuz."

Iruka smiled, handing Kakashi a mug and taking one himself as Asuma measured a teaspoon of sugar into his cup. "I don't mind. Having the company is better than always being alone. They're good kids," he added, pouring himself a cup of tea.

Iruka tipped the carafe at Kakashi, silently asking and Kakashi smiled. "Yes, please."

Iruka poured the tea into his guest's cup and then turned back to Asuma. "So, you know Kakashi?"

Asuma nodded, "Apparently I do. Like he said, we haven't seen each other in a long time. Our parents worked together, so they kind of just plopped us together for play dates when they were busy. It was before your time, Ruka."

Iruka chuckled. "Obviously, or maybe Kakashi and I would have spent less of the last how many years fighting so much. I can't even remember now…. Do you know?" He turned to the silver-haired man with a smile.

Kakashi snorted. "Ever since your stuck-up butt graduated, Umino. You've been a right pain in my ass since…. And probably your principal's too." He poked Iruka in the side teasingly with the spoon.

Iruka shoved the utensil away good-naturedly.

Asuma's head popped up. "Fighting?"

Kakashi smiled at Iruka, watching as the brunet fixed his tea, then answered, "Mmhm. As Iruka said, I'm Naruto's math teacher and if you're their cousin, you ought to know how much Naruto likes school. Iruka and I…. Well, let's just say that we haven't always seen eye to eye about everything concerning your younger cousin's education."

Asuma's jaw almost dropped. "You're _that_ teacher?"

Kakashi eyed him, puzzled. "_That _teacher?" he repeated.

Asuma smiled, "Oh, boy, you sure know how to rile Ruka up, Hatake. He'd come home from meetings with you in a complete tizzy. Storming about, slamming things and muttering the whole time about a 'lazy, no-good, prick,' or a 'right know-it-all bastard' who 'couldn't teach an elephant to trumpet,' or something along those lines, eh, cuz?"

Iruka, Kakashi noticed as Asuma winked at him, had turned a violent, lobster-shade of red and was hiding his face in his cup as he took a long swallow. Kakashi grinned.

"Why, Iruka. I'm offended." He grabbed at his chest in mock hurt and laughed as he dodged the pillow lobbed at him.

"Oh, shut up." Iruka turned away stubbornly.

"I _did _sort of egg him on, though," Kakashi admitted, settling the tossed pillow in the crook of his arm comfortably as he nodded towards Asuma.

"Sort of!?" Iruka squawked indignantly.

"Yes," Kakashi smiled serenely, "sort of."

Iruka snorted and crossed his arms. "Sort of, my ass. You're a brat and a rabble-rouser and you know it. And do you know what I think? I think you _enjoyed _pissing me off."

Kakashi leaned back and laughed. "Hm. Maybe. But I'd say I've met my match in you, no?"

Missing the double-entendre, Iruka answered snappishly, "I can take you any day."

Asuma, however, did catch the meaning and leaned back to watch their interaction with new interest.

"Oh, really?" Kakashi leaned forward.

Iruka matched him, so their faces were only about four inches apart. "_Really._"

"I'd like to see _that_." Kakashi smiled in satisfaction and leaned back into the cushions. "And by the way, I _very much_ enjoyed pissing you off."

Iruka gaped at him for a few seconds, his mouth opening and closing like a fish. "Well!"

He got up and grabbed some of the coffee things to clear away, disappearing into the kitchen in a huff.

Kakashi chuckled to himself, but came back to his senses when Asuma cleared his throat.

"Aaaaand…. from that little show, I assume you intend to pursue my cousin?"

Kakashi cracked one eye open and peered at Asuma sideways.

"You assume correctly." He folded his hands over his stomach.

Asuma pondered him for a minute, then, "Do you know much about him?"

Kakashi sat up. "I know enough."

"Do you really?" Kakashi didn't miss the pointed look Asuma gave his hair.

"You're thinking about Mizuki." Asuma's eyes widened in shock.

"You know about him?"

"I'm not the most socially adept person, but I was interested in Iruka so naturally, I wanted to know more about him. Curiously, there seemed to be a person missing from his photo albums, so I did a little research. Your cousin is the son of a famous author and a local politician, remember, so it wasn't too hard to dig up local news articles."

Asuma leaned forward. "But how much do you _really_ know?"

Kakashi sighed. "Look, I know you're just trying to protect your cousin, but I promise, I'm not going to do anything to hurt him. I can't really control the fact that my hair greyed prematurely." He was starting to get fed up with this whole hair issue and it showed in his voice.

Asuma wouldn't back down though. "Maybe not intentionally, you won't. I'm not saying you're a bad guy. Do you know the _whole _story though?"

Kakashi slumped in his seat. "Are you going to tell me, or let me make a fool of myself?"

Asuma smiled. "Like I said, I don't think you're a bad guy. And believe me, I'd love to see my cousin settle down happily…. He's just—well, he's been through a lot."

Kakashi nodded. "I'll be careful."

Asuma nodded and reached over to pat him on the arm. "So, Mizuki was actually—"

As Kakashi leaned forward eagerly to learn more, Asuma stopped abruptly because Iruka came back in the room, tea towel draped over one arm and hands dripping.

"I see you two are getting along," he noted dryly.

Asuma smiled and changed the subject quickly. "I think I'll just grab those pickles, Ruka, and head out. I've been imposing long enough, I wouldn't want to leave Kurenai too long."

As he stood, Iruka turned towards the hall to make his way to the door, his cousin and Kakashi both following. As Iruka packed the pickles into a bag, he turned to Asuma, "I also have some chocolate chip cookies I baked yesterday and an extra box of mint ripple ice-cream that was on sale if you want it, just in case."

Asuma nodded gratefully, "I'm sure Kurenai would appreciate it," and Iruka headed back into the kitchen to retrieve said items.

"So, if you don't mind my asking," Asuma pulled his coat back out of the closet and began putting it on, "how did you end up staying here? If you never got along that well, what made you decide to spend a snow day together?"

Kakashi smiled. "Actually, it was an accident. Not that I'm complaining, mind you. It probably would have taken me ages to realize we'd be good together without this in-my-face wakeup call, but…."

Asuma laughed and reached for his scarf as Kakashi continued, "I was kind of stranded in the parking lot because I wasn't ready for the storm and Iruka picked me up off the side of the road and brought me home." he scratched the back of his neck self-consciously.

Asuma's laughter stopped immediately and Kakashi noticed him pale considerably. "He _what?_"

At that, Kakashi decided, very inopportune moment…. (he had wanted to prove to Asuma that he _did too_ know enough—enough to realize that being picked up on the road like Mizuki was not making anyone too happy with him), Iruka came back in with the rest of Kurenai's treats and handed the bag to his cousin, obviously missing the tension between the two men in the hall.

"Just call if you need anything else and I'll waddle my way over through the snow so Kurenai isn't alone," Iruka reached over and hugged his cousin. "I'll see you later, all right?"

"Right." Asuma reached for the door handle and waited until Iruka turned back to go finish the dishes, then he reached for Kakashi's hand, saying loud enough for Iruka to catch, "It was good seeing you again, Hatake."

Then he pulled the math teacher closer and whispered, "He's not going to like it, but if you're serious about this, you need to talk to Naruto and you need to be careful."

Kakashi nodded and stared at the door in puzzlement for a few minutes after Asuma had vanished into the snow.


	6. First Kiss

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and I am making no money writing fanfiction.

…..0…0…0…..

Kakashi went in search of his students and found them lounging around Naruto's room, science textbooks open to the biology of animal cells and notebooks full of scribbles. Though the door was open, he knocked anyways.

The boys looked up and he cleared his throat nervously. "Uh, Naruto? Could I please speak with you for a minute?"

Said blond sighed, but got up anyways and to Kakashi's surprise, pulled the door closed behind him.

"You like him, don't you?"

Kakashi startled, looking down at his student. "Huh?"

Naruto chuckled, perhaps a little cynically for his age, and continued, "I've spent a lot of my life on the outside looking in. I'm good at watching people and I know it's changed over the last day and a half."

Kakashi regarded him uneasily, the feeling of someone seeing right through him a bit unnerving, particularly since few managed it. He decided to feign ignorance. "Sorry?"

Naruto sighed. "Don't play stupid, _Mr. _Hatake," (Kakashi wondered if Iruka had taught his brother the 'teacher voice,' as the stress on his name made him feel as if he was being called into the principal's office) he intoned as said silver-haired math teacher shifted from foot to foot, "because I _know _you're not, even if that's what you like to let on. What I _mean _is that the way you look at my brother has changed. You _like _him."

Kakashi gulped. It was one thing to ask Naruto about the news article, but something else entirely to let it slip to a student that he was gay. His co-workers knew, and were okay with it for the most part, but he wasn't sure if the kids did.

Running out of patience, Naruto soldiered on, "And no, not everyone knows."

Kakashi chuckled nervously, opting to play it straight (no pun intended) rather than continue to play dumb. "Can you read my mind?"

"I can read your face." They stared at each other for a few seconds.

"You really ought to cover it up if you want privacy, Mr. Hatake. You're very expressive."

"Cover my face?" Kakashi laughed. "Like with a mask or something? People would think I'm weird."

"People already think you're weird. Now, what exactly do you want to know?"

Kakashi shuffled nervously, "What happened?"

Naruto sighed. "Give me a minute."

Kakashi watched as the blond poked his head into his room and muttered something to Kiba, then re-emerged and motioned Kakashi to follow him. Kakashi looked around in interest as they entered what was obviously a study. Naruto took a seat in front of the unlit fireplace and Kakashi sat opposite him.

"We don't usually tell anyone this story."

"I assumed not. The article mentioned your mom keeping the press away."

"Yeah," Naruto looked away.

"And your cousin, Asuma was a bit jumpy about it."

Naruto looked back up. "Oh, he was here? Kurenai want pretzels, sardines and popsicles or something?"

"Pickles." Naruto smiled.

"Yeah, well…." he took a deep breath. "I guess Suma just figures he ought to protect us. He's the oldest cousin, you know."

Kakashi nodded. Naruto continued, "The only reason I _am _telling you is because I know you. I've been able to watch you a lot since you've been my homeroom _and _math teacher for two and a half years."

Kakashi nodded.

"I'm trusting you." Naruto looked straight at him to underline his point, "And my brother and I don't trust a lot of people."

Kakashi bit his lip. "I won't—"

Naruto interrupted. "I hope not…. And if it makes you feel any better, I don't think you will mess up." Naruto paused. "Epically, I mean…. You might mess up a bit, but weird as you are you're trustworthy and I _think _your heart is in the right place. Besides…. There's got to be a reason that you and my brother fight so damn much—and _I _think it's sexual tension."

Kakashi's eyes widened comically and his face tinged pink. "You uh…." Kakashi groped around for the right words for a response to _that_ and finished lamely with, "shouldn't use language like that."

"Uh-huh." Naruto smirked at him. Mimicking his 'you shouldn't use language like that' comically, making Kakashi almost laugh. Almost. "I'm a teenager, Mr. Hatake. I'm not completely innocent and if you're going to end up with my brother, you should probably know now that I'm more grown up than most adults…. Even if I act like the village idiot. You do what you need to in order to survive the system, right?"

Kakashi nodded sadly. "I'm sorry you had to learn that the hard way."

Naruto nodded. "Thanks but it's okay now. If my gut is right, so did you. But anyways, the big deal with Mizuki wasn't that he attacked my brother. That journalist that ran the story_ against_ Mom's wishes, by the way, was an idiot. You saw how she made obvious mistakes like mixing up months and weeks. And Ruka is _not _stupid; Mizuki didn't pull the wool over his eyes like she made it out. He knew Mizuki was troubled, he just wanted to help anyways—that's just who he is. Mizuki had come back to town and was sort of harassing Iruka. He would follow him and call him and stuff. He flirted too. Ruka turned him down though, which is why he was on the side of the highway—he'd left in a huff. My brother, softie as he is, didn't want it to end like that because they'd been friends since ending up in the system together around kindergarten. He went to go pick him up and they did end up getting involved." Naruto eyed Kakashi pointedly, and then figured he'd clarify. "They were lovers, I mean." He waited for a reaction.

Kakashi ingested the information, the nodded slowly, a sour taste in his mouth. Naruto sighed and nodded, then continued with his story.

"They were living together for the whole summer. I had been away since it was summer vacation, but Ruka had decided to only go for the first week of our family vacation that year because he wanted to take summer session courses to finish his degree half a year early. You _know _from school how close my brother and I are. We're like, the two electrons in a helium atom—two peas in a pod, whatever you want to call it."

Kakashi nodded. He was learning a lot more about his student in this ten-minute conversation than he had in the last two school years. He'd always suspected the boy was more intelligent than his mask let on, but the blond was just so damn good at hiding it and playing dumb that he'd almost quit trying to prove it just to avoid conflict with the brothers.

"So when I came back home from summer vacation with our parents and Ruka and I spent a lot of time together catching up, Mizuki got _really_ jealous. He said nasty things to my brother, called him names. Said Ruka never deserved a family because they were like family but that Ruka abandoned him for a fairytale life. He said that I _couldn't _be Ruka's brother and he shouldn't treat me like it if Mizuki meant anything to him. My brother is a pretty tough guy, Mr. Hatake, and he wouldn't take that shit off Mizuki, so they got into more and more fights. Mizuki said even worse things, too, that I'm not even going to repeat and he was very physical—my brother and he got into real fistfights on more than one occasion. But Ruka likes to see the best in everyone, and he had this memory of a sweet little boy in his head. That's who he still loved, _that's _who he was trying to save."

Kakashi nodded again and Naruto gave him a minute to absorb the information.

"I don't want you to think my brother is some victim who just took abuse—he fought back every time…. He just stayed with him because he genuinely thought he could be enough of a good influence to change his friend for the better. My brother doesn't like to give up…. He's not a quitter—it's just not in either of our natures. So he kept arguing. He kept believing. He kept deflecting insults and catching fists."

Naruto paused and shuddered and Kakashi felt something bad coming.

"Mizuki figured out real fast that my brother was more than a match for him. That he could take him, not only physically in a fight but that he could ignore the verbal abuse too. And Mizuki didn't _want _to be saved and he loathed being ignored or feeling left by the wayside. All he wanted was to make Iruka as miserable as he was. Trying to hurt _him _wasn't working because Ruka was stronger than him. But me? Yeah…. I was only ten."

Kakashi paled, sensing what was coming next and dreading it.

"I wasn't built like a linebacker like my brother, and I didn't like Mizuki at all even though Ruka had a soft spot for him…. And Mizuki knew he loved _me _more than anything, but he also knew Iruka knew that and wouldn't chance leaving me alone with him. So he waited and watched and then he called the day camp I was attending pretending to be our dad. He said I needed to walk over to my brother's place after camp instead of going home because he was babysitting. The camp was only a week so they didn't know our family very well and they assumed Mizuki really was our dad like he said. Then he emailed one of Ruka's profs and told him that he was Iruka and that he really needed to talk to him after class about the latest assignment."

Kakashi gulped. He wiped sweaty palms on his pants legs. He knew everything was okay now…. He could _see _his student in front of him and _hear _Iruka running dishwater and filling the washer in the kitchen, but his stomach still knotted as Naruto finished.

"I got home at quarter to four and Mizuki was waiting for me already. He made me sit in one of the kitchen chairs and he tied my hands up. He had one of the kitchen knives in his hand and he told me what a monster I was and how I'd stolen my brother's love away from him. He would run the tip of the blade up and around my face. It's a good thing I dawdled on the way home and that Iruka figured out something was wrong as soon as the professor called him aside, because he got home at four and he was so panicked that he didn't even try keys, he just kicked the door down. That startled Mizuki enough that I could jump off the chair and had time to hide under the kitchen table where he couldn't reach me."

Kakashi let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding.

"Ruka was _livid_. He went at Mizuki with a _vengeance_. He broke his nose with the first swing and never came off the offensive. But like I said, Mizuki already knew Ruka was a match for him and he was desperate, so when Ruka had him pinned to the counter and told me to run for help—I crawled out from under the table—he made a wild move and grabbed a second knife from the block on the counter and drove it down Ruka's back. When I saw it, I thought my brother was dead and I panicked and froze, so Mizuki got a hold of me. Ruka still got up though and came after Mizuki again, but he was hurt now and had to worry about me, because Mizuki had me by the arm."

Kakashi realized he was breathing quickly and shallowly when Naruto paused and looked at him, reaching over to pat his hand and admonish, "Breathe, Mr. Hatake."

Kakashi nodded. Naruto patted him again, consolingly, and went on, "I finally came to my senses and when he made another swipe at my brother, I kicked his extended arm at the elbow, making him lose one of the knives, so Ruka dove in low and tackled him to the floor. I used all my strength—which wasn't much back then—to whack him on the head with a frying pan from the stove and then I went to get help like Ruka had told me. But I guess while I was gone, Mizuki woke up and since Ruka had already lost a lot of blood he wasn't in the best of shape to fight back. Mizuki took advantage of that and made the cut on his back worse and then ran, leaving him to die."

Kakashi breathed out shakily and smoothed the wrinkles in his pants that he'd made from gripping them unconsciously.

"But my brother and I? We're survivors." Naruto leaned forward. "You'd better play nice, Mr. Hatake." He smiled, to show the threat was in jest.

Kakashi nodded. He took it seriously anyways. Naruto got up to leave, then paused beside his math teacher. "Can I tell you something else, though?"

Kakashi looked up at him and nodded, still a little floored.

"And this doesn't leave this room, hear?"

Kakashi nodded again.

"You're the only teacher who's called me on my bullshit and sees through my mask. You remind me a little of Ruka that way and I know he likes you too or he wouldn't get so riled up when you argue—the way you two argue isn't like how it was with Mizuki. You guys get all passionate, but…. not _mean_, I guess—for lack of a better word. So…. I guess what I'm trying to say is…. I'm rooting for you." He shrugged, trying to downplay their 'bonding moment.'

Kakashi smiled. "Wouldn't want it to get out you actually enjoy school, hm? Or, goodness forbid, get along with a teacher!" And just like that, the tension broke and the mood lightened. Naruto shoved him playfully.

"Don't sneak up on him. Don't crowd him in the kitchen. Learn how to drop it sometimes when you argue. And hey, genius?"

"Mhhm?"

Naruto grinned. "He likes big bear hugs. They make him feel safe."

…..0…0…0…..

After Naruto returned to Kiba and their homework, Kakashi relaxed for a minute, knowing he needed to unwind before heading back downstairs.

When Iruka heard someone clear their throat at the kitchen door, he turned and saw Kakashi standing there.

"Where have you been?" he smiled, "Not that I have to know because I'm keeping tabs or anything…. Just want to make sure you're not snooping _again_." He rolled his eyes.

Kakashi chuckled. "Nope, not snooping, promise. Did you know the boys are actually doing homework?"

Iruka hung up the dishtowel and closed some of the distance between them, noticing—oddly enough—that Kakashi seemed hesitant to enter the kitchen. He hoped it wasn't because of him being outed and now the man was going to be weird around him. He'd grown kind of fond of his company in the last day and a half—odd as Kakashi was, he was funny and smart, a rare combination. Maybe instead of workshops spent glaring at each other, they could pass the time more amiably in the future? Work together, as friends even, instead of jus colleagues? Iruka liked that thought, though he _might_ miss their 'playful banter' (you're in denial, sweetheart, you guys _argue_, like hardcore)…. just a little bit, though—of course.

"They do that sometimes." Iruka chuckled. "Naruto actually gets marks around the mid-eighties, usually."

Kakashi balked. "He what?!"

Iruka grinned. "Except in your class, where it's low seventies even if he's a capable mathematician. Why do you think I come to conferences already up in arms? I think, though, after today and watching the pair of you, that maybe he does it on purpose. Do you provoke him, like you provoke me?"

"Maybe?" Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "And no…. unless you count telling him he's not as unintelligent as I know he's pretending to be."

"Okay," Iruka conceded, "Definitely. Better?"

Kakashi smiled and closed the gap between them slowly. "Much."

Iruka noted quickly how little room the other had left between them and gulped. Kakashi _knew _he was gay now, so the question was, was he this close on purpose? He stepped back a fraction, but decided to test the waters.

Kakashi watched the play of emotions across Iruka's face and secretly delighted he could have that effect on the man.

Kakashi reminded himself to breathe as Iruka ran a hand lightly up his torso and tutted as he murmured lowly, "We forgot about this didn't we? I promised you a clean shirt. Let me help you change it."

Kakashi gulped and looked down at the coffee stain. Iruka watched him and smiled (a little predatorily in Kakashi's opinion—but that could be wishful thinking and if it wasn't, then he was _more _than okay with that). "Oh, yeah."

"Mmhm." And Iruka turned and walked out of the kitchen, heading upstairs, so Kakashi shook his head to clear it and hurriedly followed.

…..0…0…0…..

Iruka took a few calming breaths on the way up the stairs. Kakashi hadn't backed down, if anything, Iruka thought maybe his breath had caught, which made his own pulse race. He tried to think back to all of their interactions, but really couldn't pinpoint if Kakashi was gay or straight. Really…. they'd been workplace acquaintances since Iruka began student teaching when he was still in his last two years of his education degree, back when he was still about twenty—which was what—quite close to nine years, actually? Now that he thought about it…. How did he not know this?! He wanted to face palm.

Kakashi was almost giddy as he stumbled up the stairs, and gripped the banister to steady himself. He wasn't a patient man and he knew without doubt that he wanted to make something happen _now_. Because really, if his shirt had to come off anyways, why not use that to his advantage?

As they neared Iruka's room, Kakashi untucked the shirt and leaned nonchalantly against the doorframe as Iruka headed for his dresser. Once he got there, Iruka nodded back at his guest.

"You don't have to wait out there. I don't bite."

Kakashi smiled. _Game on_. "Ever? Not even a…. nibble?"

Iruka could swear Kakashi's voice had dropped nearly an octave and he gulped but busied himself finding a button-up that wouldn't fall off the slim silver-haired man.

"You should take it off, I have one here." He waved the shirt.

"I can't." Kakashi smiled and started a slow saunter into the room.

"What?" Iruka looked at him, unsure of what to make of that.

"I can't." Kakashi grinned even wider.

"Do you want me to leave?" Iruka raised an eyebrow.

"No. I just…. Can't."

Iruka sighed. "Okay, I'll bite. Why?"

"I thought you didn't do that?" He took a few steps closer.

"What?" Iruka narrowed his eyes a bit, suspicious now and more than a little on edge from his nerves.

"Bite." A few more steps.

Iruka gulped. His voice came out a little huskier and more of a whisper than he'd counted on. "Why can't you take off the shirt, Kakashi?"

"It's stuck." Another step.

Iruka looked down at the shirt. "It's not stuck."

Kakashi nodded. "Yes it is. And I think I got frostbite on my fingers last night in the blizzard."

Iruka's face warmed a bit, pinking ever so slightly. "And?"

"And that makes it hard to get my shirt off."

"Okay, so?"

"So I think you need to help me." Kakashi had steadily moved forward, slowly enough that Iruka hadn't even noticed he had backed up, until he felt the smooth, cool surface of his wooden dresser press into the small of his back.

"Help you?" he breathed out.

"Take it off." There was barely any space left between them and Kakashi leaned his face forward so their noses were a mere inch apart. He lifted his hands and pulled at the material near the buttons. "See? I can't do it myself."

Iruka licked his dry lips and nodded. "I see that."

Taking that as permission, since, obviously, Iruka did _not _mind Kakashi being in his space and was even sort of playing along, Kakashi leaned forward, placing one hand on the dresser and pressing his warm lips to Iruka's. He kept his eyes open, watching for a reaction, until Iruka let the hand holding the shirt go slack and land gently on Kakashi's chest, dropping the material to hold onto the math teacher instead and sighing quietly into the kiss. Then all bets were off as Kakashi pressed his entire body forward and wrapped an arm around Iruka's waist, the other grabbing at the material of his tee to pull him closer. Iruka dropped the shirt altogether and ran his hands up Kakashi's arms instead, resting one on his bicep and allowing the other to twine through the hair at the nape of his neck, earning a low moan from the silver-haired man.


	7. Okay? Okay

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and I am making no money writing fanfiction.

…..0…0…0…..

"Ahem."

Nothing….

Louder, "Ahem!"

Still no reaction.

Tap, tap, tap, tap.

Or even recognition.

"HEY!"

The two men sprang apart, like guilty teenagers caught making out in the car, Iruka's hands dropping from Kakashi's torso, Kakashi's now thoroughly unbuttoned shirt swinging loosely around his frame.

Naruto raised an eyebrow and behind him and his impatiently tapping foot, Kakashi could see a flabbergasted Kiba looking on in awe.

"Uh…." Iruka was turning ten shades of pink as he struggled to answer, "I was helping him change his shirt?"

Naruto looked pointedly down at the forgotten button-up on the floor. "Mmhm. Yeah, right. I'm sure."

Kiba had finally snapped his mouth shut and was trying to slink off unnoticed. Naruto grabbed him by the back of the collar and held on as he addressed the two in Iruka's bedroom.

"Listen, your phone was ringing. Like, off the hook, Hatake, so I think you should probably go answer it. And Iruka?"

Iruka gulped.

"I swear if he fails me because you dump him, I'm never speaking to you again. Honestly," he muttered as he dragged Kiba away, "worse than teenagers, making out in public…."

"We're not _in _public," Kakashi murmured, as they heard Naruto's rant get cut off by Kiba.

"You're brother's gay?"

They heard Naruto sigh as he dropped Kiba on the floor. "You seriously didn't know?'

"Well…. I guess I kind of guessed, but…. Mr. Hatake's gay?!"

Another sigh. "Obviously."

"And, and…. They _like _each other?"

"Kiba, you're an idiot. Of course they do. Did you _not _just see them practically dripping off of each other?" Naruto could be heard walking away down the hall and Kiba scrambled up and after him.

"Do you think he'll be nicer now?"

Naruto's door could be heard closing, then there was a patter of footsteps as Kiba backtracked. He poked his head around Iruka's door.

"Hey, if you're not sexually frustrated anymore, will you be more chill in class, Mr. Hatake?"

Iruka's jaw dropped and Kakashi chuckled nervously, scratching at the back of his neck. "Um…."

Iruka recovered and hollered at the top of his lungs, "Naruto! Get him out!"

Naruto's door opened and he came back, taking one look at Kiba and growling dangerously, "What are you _doing_? It's none of our business if they want to fool around—" Naruto glanced up, "even if there _are _children in the house that could walk in on them at any moment, and I'm pretty sure Ruka won't cook for you anymore if you _do _keep interrupting them."

At the mention of no more food, Kiba paled and nodded, quickly mumbling an apology and scrambling out after the blond, with a final whine of, "But we're not _children!_"

Naruto answered shortly, "Yeah, as evidenced by your incredibly _mature _behaviour."

Iruka could practically _hear_ Kiba pouting at the scathing sarcasm and he chuckled, breaking the tension in the room.

"So…."

Kakashi rocked on his heels. "So."

"You should probably go check your messages."

"Um, yeah…." Kakashi turned slightly. "I guess so."

Iruka nodded, picking up the shirt and tossing it to his guest. "Don't forget this."

"Yeah, thanks." With one last sorrowful glance backwards, Kakashi disappeared from the room. _Damn! So close…. Whoever's calling me better be ready for the world of hurt I'm putting them in._

…..0…0…0…..

Iruka waited until he definitely heard Kakashi's steps head downstairs, then he left his room and knocked softly on his brother's door.

"Naruto?"

Kiba looked up as Iruka opened the door a crack. Fearing the no food threat from his friend, he apologized again as Naruto snorted at him, getting up from lounging on his bed to follow his brother to the hall.

Naruto turned to face his brother. "I told him everything."

Iruka paled. "Everything?"

"He knows."

"Naruto—" Iruka wrung his hands a bit.

"What?" the blond interrupted his brother, his voice kind, but steely. "Don't you think it's time to let go? Don't you think it's time to move on?"

Iruka sighed. He reached out and stroked a hand down his brother's cheek. "Now when did you go and grow up on me? When did you get so…. wise?"

Naruto laughed and gently batted the hand away. "I'm sixteen, Ruka, not six anymore."

Iruka smiled sadly. "You're all grown up. You don't need me anymore." He plopped his head a little dramatically on his shorter brother's shoulder.

Naruto reached up and hugged him. "I'll never be too grown up to not need my big brother. Besides, I learned from you, that's how I'm so good at _being_ grown up."

Iruka sighed, drooping a little dejectedly. "He knows everything."

Naruto tipped his brother's face up. "And he's still here."

Iruka nodded. "Yeah…. I guess there's that." he smiled at his brother. "You're an old soul, brother, too knowing for your own good sometimes."

Naruto chuckled. "As long as this old soul doesn't have to make his own dinner, we're cool and everything's all good."

Iruka joined his brother in laughter, then headed downstairs, wondering what would happen when the snowstorm was over and Kakashi didn't have to be here anymore. _What then?_

…..0…0…0…..

Kakashi sighed as he heard Iruka padding downstairs. There was no denying it—now that'd he gotten a taste of what life could be like…. well, not so _alone_ anymore, he didn't want to let it go. He wondered what would happen once the magic spell of snow wore off—could they make it in real life? He hoped so.

Iruka padded into the living room, noting that Kakashi had indeed changed his shirt and was slumped on the couch looking rather dejected.

"What's wrong?" Iruka slid onto the arm of the couch beside him and rubbed his back soothingly.

"It was my housekeeper."

Iruka peered down at the silver-haired man, waiting patiently for him to continue. "And you think I'm spoiled because of my choice in alcohol?" Iruka chuckled.

Kakashi peered at him darkly, "I might cook, but I don't _do_ chores."

Iruka couldn't help but snicker at Kakashi's glaring pout, but patted him consolingly nonetheless.

"I don't know what I'm going to do!" The silver-haired man threw up his hands in agitated frustration. "I thought everything would be fine at my place at _least _until they cleared the roads, but she said she left early—around lunch hour yesterday because her husband and daughter were worried about her not making it home all right from my place because it's out in the country on the highway. Which means," Kakashi sighed, "that my dogs weren't fed supper yesterday or breakfast today."

Iruka continued to rub his back. "What do we need to do?"

Kakashi sighed again. "I need to get home. I'm such an idiot." he flopped back into the cushions. "If I had just not driven my damn sports car. I should have known better. I'm thirty-one damn years old! Don't you think I should know better?"

Iruka chuckled and continued to rub soothing circles. "Don't worry, we can fix it."

"How?" Kakashi looked up pitifully.

Iruka smiled down at him. "I have four wheel drive, remember? I'm sure if we're careful, I can get you home."

"Then what? Do you really think I'll let you drive home in this alone after that? What if _you _get stuck on the side of the road? What if you—you _freeze_! And it'll be all my fault and then…. then—" as he went on and his scenarios got wilder, and voice more panicked, Iruka sighed. He slid off the arm of the couch and kneeled in front of Kakashi, then leaned forward to shut him up with a kiss.

Kakashi sighed, then looked at Iruka sheepishly. "I'm an idiot, aren't I?"

"I will neither confirm nor deny that." He smiled. "Don't worry, we'll figure it out."

The brunet pushed some of the older man's wayward hair out of his face. "I didn't know your panic attacks were brought on outside of work too."

Kakashi's mouth dropped open in mild shock. "I didn't know you even _knew_ about them."

Iruka smiled. "I suppose that since we fight so much, I've always kind of, I don't know…. just _noticed _you, I guess. I definitely know you better than the rest of our colleagues…. It's hard _not_ to pay attention to someone who gets on your nerves so easily." His grin turned mischievous.

Kakashi smirked back cheekily. "Maybe you noticed me for other reasons too?"

Iruka hemmed and hawed exaggeratedly, much to Kakashi's chagrin. Then he laughed and let a soothing hand fall on his shoulder. "Maybe. And even if I didn't _before_—" he held his hand up for silence, to cut off the other man in mid-protest, "I do _now_."

"I guess that's what matters then." Iruka hugged him round his middle and Kakashi let himself be comforted, dropping his head onto Iruka. "I thought I hid them well."

"Usually you do. That's why I was a bit surprised now."

…..0…0…0…..

"You're an idiot, by the way."

After about an hour (during which Kakashi panicked, Iruka planned, Kiba sulked and Naruto glared), things were all set to go.

The blond continued his tirade, "This is all your fault. Kurenai is tough enough when she's _not _pregnant. I don't want to spend the weekend at Asuma's!"

Kakashi huddled close to the wall. "I said I was sorry."

"Hmph." Naruto tugged on his boots, then his coat. "_And _you're kidnapping my brother. Snow days are _supposed _to be fun."

"Yeah, well," Kiba interjected, "at least _you _don't have to go spend the weekend with your sister and mom. My dad's out of town so I'll be stuck with _only _the girls!"

Kakashi practically whispered, "I said I was sorry."

Both boys were still glaring at him as Iruka came downstairs with an overnight bag, placing it next to the giant cooler in the entryway. Ever the careful one, he had packed the cooler full of thermoses of soup, hot chocolate, beef jerky, granola bars and bottled water in case he and Kakashi _did _get stuck, even in his Jeep. He had also double-checked his trunk, where he had an emergency kit, shovel and extra blankets. He had debated trying to put on his chains, but since his Jeep wasn't parked in the garage, but outside in the storm, it wasn't practical to put them on _now_.

Iruka looked Kakashi up and down and nodded. He had insisted the man wear some of his own winter gear (Naruto was a snowboarding enthusiast, so both brothers had multiple sets of winter clothing and Iruka had taken one look at the insufficiently Canadian-winter-proof coat Kakashi had worn the previous day and decided to borrow him some of his own thing instead, just in case…. after all, the silver-haired man was obviously a little panicked and Iruka didn't much want them to freeze either). Then he turned to the teenagers.

"Got everything, guys? Homework and all?"

Kiba grumbled under his breath, but Naruto piped up, "I don't see why I can't just go with you."

Iruka sighed. "We've been over this, Naruto. Asuma's is at most fifty feet away. Kakashi's place is almost an hour's drive and it's on some pretty icy highway too. If, perish the thought, but we _do_ get stuck, I don't want you stuck out there in a storm alongside us."

Naruto sighed, and then glared at Kakashi, mumbling too low for Iruka to hear but just loud enough that Kakashi caught it, "I'm pretty sure it's just because the math teacher wants no interruptions."

Kakashi weighed his options. As much as Naruto was right about him looking forward to having Iruka all alone at his place until the roads were properly cleared, he sort of felt obligated to stick up for the blond, since he had basically given him his permission to pursue his brother. Since family was so important to Iruka; that meant it would do a lot of good for him in the long run to get the blond on his side. Kakashi was pretty sure Naruto _wouldn't_ get in the way anyways, so he cleared his throat to get Iruka's attention.

"Maybe you should let him tag along, Iruka. I don't think we'll actually get stuck—you're a pretty good driver and besides, he's not helpless." he waited with bated breath for Iruka's reaction.

"Fine." He looked up from tying his laces, "But you two had better not get into the habit of ganging up on me like this." Kakashi smiled. That sounded like possible long-term material?

"Yes!" Naruto pumped his fist in the air and ran upstairs to grab a change of clothes. "No crazy pregnant cousins!"

Kiba grumbled to himself. "Lucky _you_."

…..0…0…0…..

Once they'd seen Kiba safely next door and were well on their way through to Kakashi's place, he began to tell them all about his family home. How they'd owned the land for generations, how his parents had built up their own businesses, how his neighbor, Hiashi, now rented his barn space and pasture to breed and train thoroughbred race horses, how he had a whole pack of eight dogs. He even showed off the scar he usually hid under the long fringe of his bangs over his left eye that he'd gotten when his tire swing had broken off and hit him in the face as a preteen, nearly blinding him. He told them how his friend, Obito had been hit in the head by the falling branch too and had been in a coma ever since.

Kakashi was nervous, which was probably why he was talking so much, he figured. Gai, the gym teacher at the high school where Kakashi worked, was his only close friend since Obito and the only person (other than Hiashi's eldest daughter, who _loved _the dogs and came over to play with them all the time in the yard) that ever visited.

He hoped he wasn't talking _too_ much, or scaring Iruka off, but when Iruka looked at him indulgently, obviously sensing his nervousness and reaching over to squeeze his hand quickly, he breathed an internal sigh of relief. Social aptitude really wasn't his forte…. he was glad Iruka was patient. Then again, the man worked with children a lot younger than Kakashi's own, more independent students, so what else _could_ he be?

As they neared the outskirts of the town and actually hit the highway, Iruka barely sped up, instead keeping the Jeep at a steady 75km, hoping to keep the SUV from slipping on the treacherous road. During the last leg of their drive, he kept his fog lights on in addition to the high beams and his wipers were working madly to keep the windshield clear. He knew the four-wheel drive was working overtime and the defog and heater were going full-blast.

Kakashi continued to share stories, but at a slower, calming pace; telling the brothers about his mother and how she used to tell him bedtime stories about ninjas and how she had died when he was nine years old, his father following her shortly thereafter.

He told them of his year training in the army as a tribute to his father who had served as a peacekeeper before settling down with his mother and starting their security business. He told them about the orchard that grew behind his house, that had been planted there by his great grand parents and he told them about each of his dogs.

In turn, Naruto opened up more and shared with his teacher about the few years before he was adopted; how he had always been picked on for being short and how Iruka had added a wooden swing to the tree house their dad had originally built for Iruka when Naruto moved in and how Iruka used to push him on the swing every night as they talked about how his day went.

Iruka explained to Kakashi that as part of his therapy after the Mizuki incident, he had taken up martial arts and even competed. Kakashi was excited to learn this and suggested they start training together, since he'd like to get back in better shape since he hadn't done much sparring himself since his army days.

Kakashi told his student how the neighbour's daughter was about his age and how she was planning on finishing her high school degree a year early to go into the very competitive nursing program. They talked almost the whole hour-long ride and by the time they reached the crumbly stone and iron gate to Kakashi's family property, even Naruto felt like they were old friends who'd known each other forever.

"Hey, Kakashi?"

Kakashi turned round to look into the back seat.

"Sorry I caused so much trouble in school. I'll do better, I promise."

As he watched the blond fidget, he smiled and replied, "Hmmm, I don't think I'd mind you getting into trouble every now and then, because you know I'd have to call home then…. And your brother _might _just have to come in for a special meeting."

The blond laughed out loud as they pulled up to the house, his brother and teacher joining him as Kakashi peered out the window. "Yeah…. Any meeting with you two would be some kind of special all right."

Kakashi straightened up and said to the other two, "Well, this is it. I wonder why the front lights are on?"

Kakashi motioned for Iruka to pull into the large, open garage, then the made their way over to the front door. Kakashi made a face and motioned the other two to stay behind him as the door easily swung open, obviously unlocked.

They set their things down quietly in the hall and Kakashi made a shushing motion with his hand as the tiptoed into the mudroom towards the kitchen where the lights were on. Kakashi grabbed a broom from the mudroom on the way and brandished it like a baseball bat.

"What are you going to do with _that_?" Iruka hissed, "It's probably only your housekeeper."

Naruto chimed in, "You'll give the poor old lady a heart attack."

Kakashi shook his head vigorously. "She _said_ she was at home and was only calling to make sure _I _had gotten home safely and taken care of the dogs."

As he pushed open the door and jumped through it with a mighty exclamation of, "Ha!" Kakashi heard a girly shriek and his eight dogs' nails scurrying across the hardwood.

He blinked owlishly and turned from side to side, surveying the kitchen. His dogs, obviously excited to see him, were now prancing around the door; trying to sniff at the two strangers behind him and there, in the corner-was his neighbour's daughter, crouched behind the table with her hands over her head.

"Hinata?" He lowered the broom slowly.

"Mr. Hatake?" She peeked out from between her fingers.

Kakashi extended his hand to her and helped her get slowly to her feet as he asked incredulously, "What are you _doing _here?"

"W-w-well, your housekeeper called and said you were stranded at another teacher's house and that your dogs hadn't been fed in _days_!" She practically wailed the last part, then took a breath and continued, "I couldn't just let them s-s-_starve_, Mr. Hatake, and dad has the key because of the horses and everything, so I snow-shoed over with my cousin. I didn't th-think you'd mind as long as all we did was feed them. But what are _you _doing home, Mr. Hatake? The housekeeper said you were panicking because you didn't think you could get home to the dogs, which is why she thought to call _us_."

Kakashi flushed as Iruka pushed his head into the room around Kakashi's shoulder and scolded, "You never called the housekeeper back? In the whole _hour_ it took us to get ready to drive here?!"

Kakashi scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "It never crossed my mind?"

Iruka harrumphed and elbowed his way all the way into the kitchen. Naruto, not one to be left out, tumbled in after him and laughed as the dogs crowded around them to say hello.

Plopping himself right down on the floor, and making himself at home easily, Naruto looked up at his math teacher and grinned hugely, "I like your dogs, Kakashi!"

Hinata took one look at the noisy boy on the floor and the loud man behind her neighbour and peeped out a tiny, "Oh!"

Kakashi smiled. "Sorry, I should introduce you. Where's your cousin—you said he came with you today?"

"I-in th-the barn. He went to check on the horses before we leave."

Kakashi motioned Iruka forward and began, "All right then, we can just do another round when he gets back. The blond on the floor is Naruto. " Naruto looked up and paused playing with the dogs to salute her as Kakashi continued, wrapping his arm around Iruka's shoulders, "And this is Iruka, who was kind enough to drive me home in this awful blizzard." he squeezed gently.

Hinata nodded politely. "Guys, this is Hinata. She's my neighbour. The one whose dad I told you about that uses the stables."

Iruka smiled and extended his hand. "It's nice to meet you, Hinata."

She took his hand and smiled, "Likewise, Mr. Iruka."

"Oh, just Iruka's fine." Hinata nodded again, then a gust of wind blew through the room as the mudroom's door swung open, revealing a tall, fluffy jumble of blue winter parka.

"Neji!" Hinata squeaked, rushing to push the door shut behind him.

In the wake of the blowing snow, Kakashi tightened his grip around Iruka and Naruto huddled the smaller dogs onto his lap.

"Oi! It's cold out there!" The newcomer looked down at the indignant blond.

"You're telling me," he answered curtly as he unraveled a scarf from his face. "Who're you?"

"Neji," Hinata chastised, "They're Mr. Hatake's _guests_."

Neji looked at Kakashi, seeming to only take notice of him now. "You're back?"

Kakashi nodded. "Yeah. We just got here. Sorry you went to all the trouble of coming over."

The youth shrugged. "Uncle made me. Said to make sure the horses were settled in. I checked them last night too. This one," he indicated his cousin with an incline of his head, "_insisted _on checking on the mutts, even though she can't handle the walk."

At his abrasive words, Naruto looked up and ground out, "Hey, she's _here_, isn't she? That means she made it. You ought to be nicer to your own cousin."

Hinata regarded the boy on the floor and tinged pink. Her cousin, on the other hand, stepped forward menacingly, "Excuse me?"

Naruto jumped up and lunged towards the youth, who was at least a half a head taller than him. "You heard me, jerk face!"

Iruka went to grab Naruto, but Kakashi tightened his grip and pulled him back. Iruka looked up at him puzzled, but Kakashi just shook his head.

"Hm." Neji looked down at Naruto disdainfully.

Naruto grabbed him by the parka and growled into his face, "Excuse _me_."

Hinata gasped.

Iruka reached forward again, but Kakashi interrupted. "Mr. Hyuuga."

The dark-haired boy looked up. "_Yes_?"

It was obvious the only reason he was even being quasi-polite was because Kakashi was an adult and the owner of the house. "I would appreciate it if you were a little more considerate of my guests."

"Hm. Whatever." He shook Naruto off. "Hinata, get your coat. We're leaving."

She nodded quickly and turned to leave the room.

"Actually," Kakashi interjected coolly, "Would you like to stay for tea, Hinata? It was very kind of you to worry so about my dogs."

Neji turned to glare at the man. "I'm _not _staying."

Naruto glared. "Well, it's a good thing he didn't ask _you _then, isn't it?"

"Hm. She can't stay either. She'll never make it home alone. She'd probably freeze in the storm." He looked at his cousin with a sneer.

Naruto glanced at her, watching her face fall. Remembering getting picked on when he was a kid, he stalked over to Neji and got right up into his face. "_I'll_ walk her home then. Or she can just stay here, _away _from you."

Neji turned his nose up haughtily in the air. "Suit yourselves."

…..0…0…0…..

As they sat down to tea, Kakashi turned to Hinata and apologized, "I'm sorry for putting you on the spot there like that, you really didn't have to stay."

"It's all right," Hinata stole a glance at Naruto as she peeked up from her cup, "He's angry like that all of the time, no matter what anyone does or s-s-says."

"Well that's just dumb." Naruto smiled at her. "You shouldn't let him talk to you like that, you know."

Iruka looked at Kakashi and smiled. He lowered his voice and leaned in close, "You let that happen on purpose. You knew this would happen."

Kakashi smiled and wrapped his arm around Iruka. "Someone like Naruto would be a good friend for her; she needs a boost, don't you think?" he winked, "And Neji really needs to be taken down a peg, and I figured someone like Naruto would be perfect for that."

Iruka laughed. "I can see that the boy definitely needs an attitude adjustment. And you sure know us well."

Kakashi squeezed him tighter, leaning in to kiss Iruka on the temple. "Told you I'm a genius."

Iruka laced their fingers together. "That you did."

…..0…0…0…..

After tea, Iruka decided it would be a better idea to drive Hinata home than to let her and Naruto walk in the storm, so they got back near dinner time and enjoyed the evening in front of a warm fire in the living room; with home-cooked pasta—Kakashi had a variety of sauces that he had canned himself over the summer (apparently, every summer) and they'd opened some pesto and marinara—topped with real, moist, Italian-imported mozzarella. Kakashi had teased Iruka that he didn't have the good stuff like he and his globe-trotting dad, but they shared some Irish coffees (Naruto's was hot chocolate, sans the alcohol) instead.

When it was time for bed, Kakashi showed Naruto to one of the guest rooms and walked down the hall to another empty one. He looked at Iruka and murmured lowly, "You could have this room. It's got a nice, big window and plenty of blankets."

"Or…." he tugged Iruka all the way down the hall and glanced upwards towards the third floor, "You could stay upstairs. That room has a fireplace, a huge bed…. and a built-in heater."

Iruka raised an eyebrow. "A built-in heater, hm?" he laced his fingers with Kakashi's. "I'm intrigued. How does this heater work?"

Kakashi smiled. "You cuddle it."

"I cuddle it?"

"You cuddle me."

"You?"

"Me." He arms were wrapped around Iruka now. "I come with the upstairs bedroom, and I'm _very_ warm."

Iruka laughed. "Okay."

"Okay?"

"Okay." he nodded, turning and pulling Kakashi after him by the hand.

Kakashi grinned. "Okay."


	8. All That Matters

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and I am making no money writing fanfiction.

…..0…0…0…..

Kakashi wanted sex. He definitely wanted sex with Iruka. But…. He also wanted sex with Iruka for a longtime, now that he thought about it and he didn't want to mess up now and lose that later. He contemplated his options as he followed the brunet upstairs, suddenly a little nervous. He'd had a dry spell recently (try five, almost six years, sigh) and he wasn't sure of the answer to the question, Now what? Sure, people said sex was like riding a bike and you'd never forget how, but couldn't you get, like, rusty or something? And, to top it all off, I feel rusty. And horny…. And I haven't gotten any in a long time and God (and everyone else too) knows I'm socially inept and I don't know how I'm going to handle this and I don't know if I'll be able to—

Kakashi hadn't realized that he'd stopped on the stairs and was nearly hyperventilating until Iruka came back down and placed a hand gently on his shoulder.

"Are you all right?" He looked down in concern at Kakashi from the step above.

Kakashi smiled.

Iruka wrapped his arms around the taller man's mid-section and laid his chin on his soft silver hair.

"We can't stay on the steps." Iruka tugged Kakashi's chin up to look him in the eye. "Are you sure you're all right with this?"

Kakashi nodded.

"I've said it once and I'll say it again. You overthink things too much." Iruka smoothed his silver-grey hair down as he talked in low tones. "Like when you thought I'd freeze and die in my Jeep."

Kakashi grumbled a bit of low laughter as he recalled his mini-panic session on Iruka's couch that morning and leaned eagerly into Iruka's soothing touch.

"I know this is new." Iruka peered down at him. "And I know that I'm nervous, and from what I can see, so are you. So, we're in the same boat."

Kakashi wrapped his own arms around the man's solid warmth and sighed, laying his head on Iruka's chest, feeling the vibrations as Iruka continued to speak.

"But even if we're a little out of practice," he held up his hand for quiet when Kakashi made to protest (he was not planning on telling Iruka how long he'd gone without, dammit!), "Now, Kakashi, you can't honestly tell me you have time for a proper love life with a teacher's schedule? And one night stands don't count."

This time, Kakashi did interrupt. "I don't do one night stands."

Iruka smiled and caressed his cheek. "That's good to know, but besides the point. What I was getting at is that it's okay to mess up and to make mistakes, because even if this," he squeezed Kakashi's arms gently, "is new, we," gestured between the two of them, "are not. We've known each other for years, Kakashi, even if we've argued a lot for a lot of them, and if it's any consolation," Iruka took a deep breath and steeled himself for whatever reaction may come, "I'm not planning on going anywhere in the morning."

Kakashi was pretty sure he understood, but wanted, no, needed to clarify for reassurance. "Or any other morning?"

"Or any other morning, as long as you want."

Kakashi tightened his grip. "Even after the storm?"

Iruka rested his hand against Kakashi's face, carding his thumb through his silver locks to see the scarred eye usually hidden there.

"Definitely after the storm if you'll have me," he smiled.

"I do want, for a long time. Maybe forever if I can have you that long."

Iruka smiled and leaned down to kiss Kakashi's forehead.

"Okay." he wrapped his arms around Kakashi's neck.

Kakashi smiled into Iruka's chest and tightened his grip again. "Okay."

"Okay?" Iruka backed up and took Kakashi's hand again to lead him upstairs.

Kakashi loosened his hold and took Iruka's hand instead. "Okay."

On the last step, Kakashi added, "But I'm not very good at this."

Iruka turned back to him, puzzled. "You're not good at sex?"

The question seemed so absurd that Kakashi laughed out loud. "No. Relationships."

Iruka smiled. "That's okay, neither am I. But, I figure, we've already had our practice, so we can get it right this time, together."

Kakashi paused at his door; hand on the knob and faced Iruka. "I seriously doubt that. You get along with everyone."

"Considering my last relationship ended when my lover literally, literally stabbed me in the back, I'd have to disagree there."

Kakashi dropped his hand from the knob and turned back, completely facing Iruka. "Mizuki was your last relationship?"

Iruka frowned, puzzled. "Yeah. I thought you knew. Naruto said he told you everything."

"He told me you two had a relationship," the silver-haired man made a disgusted face. "He didn't tell me he was your last relationship."

Iruka sighed. "With the way it ended, I wasn't exactly looking to get close enough to let someone hurt me again."

Kakashi reached out his hand and pulled Iruka into his arms. "I won't hurt you, I promise."

Iruka wrapped his arms around Kakashi's waist. "I know."

Kakashi held on tighter and whispered, "Are you sure you're okay with this?"

He didn't hear Iruka answer, but instead, felt him nod into his shoulder and hold on tighter. Oh well, here goes then, what the hell. I can be a little humiliated, right—as long as it makes him feel more secure? If I'm ready for a serious relationship, I need to be willing to share my past if I expect my partner to do the same…. And I know letting me in after Mizuki has to be hard for him.

"I sort of had a thing for Obito's cousin. We were too young to do anything about it, really, but there you have it. So when he ended up in a coma, and his family blamed me and stopped seeing me, I sort of went into a bit of a funk. Then a few years later, on a dating slash sex binge to prove I was all right without my best friend and without ever making a go of it with his cousin. It lasted from my first time when I was nineteen for about a year, when it finally hit me that six two-month long relationships in one year wasn't healthy or normal. So I was alone for years again."

Iruka was peering up at Kakashi now. "Then I ran into his cousin when I was visiting Obito in the hospital, because I still do that. I will until he wakes up. We fought, but ended up drunk and in bed together. So not worth it, because it turns out we were not a good match; which, after my years of building a fantasy version of him in my head, was a let down, so I haven't had a relationship since." He took a deep breath. "Going on six years now."

Iruka tightened his hold. "Since we seem to be doing the what's your number bit, I guess it's my turn, huh?" He grinned sheepishly.

Kakashi smiled and brushed a hand down Iruka's face. "I'd like to know…. But you don't have to if you're not ready yet." Then he added, "We have time later. Hopefully a lot of time."

Iruka shook his head. "Like ripping off a Band-Aid, though, right? And…. I want this to work. More, I think, than any relationship I've had so far. There has to be a reason we cannot—have never really been able to, in reality—ignore each other—and now that I know you better, I'd like to think it's because this was sort of meant to be."

Kakashi smiled, trying to push as much sincerity and ease into his expression as he could. "I suppose so." he began, and locked his hands in the small of Iruka's back. "I definitely like the meant to be part."

"Me too."

Kakashi buried his face in Iruka's neck, hopefully giving him a bit of courage with the privacy it afforded the brunet's visage and expression. He inhaled deeply, silently committing his brunet's smell to memory.

"I was fourteen." Kakashi pulled back swiftly and gaped at him, unable to stop himself despite wanting to be reassuring and not scare his partner off. "I guess some of the feelings of loneliness from being a foster kid carried over for a while, even after I was adopted and I knew my parents loved me and were there for me no matter what." Kakashi nodded, rubbing his nose over Iruka's cheek comfortingly, offering silent support with every small gesture.

"There were these friends of mine. Genma and Raidou. Raidou was totally in denial about being gay, but Genma and I were kind of a thing when I first started at their high school. It lasted about two years, on again, off again, between us, but when he and Raidou were in a car accident in their senior year, my sophomore one, and Raidou had to go through all of this intense, painful physical therapy and had massive scarring, Genma realized how short life is and how he'd been fooling himself about our friend for so long. He talked to both of us and made the decision to stand by Raidou through the tough times and for the rest of their lives—whether or not Raidou himself would ever admit he was gay; Genma wanted to be there regardless. So, that kind of devotion…. it kind of woke Raidou up too and he couldn't ignore the facts anymore. When they got hitched two years later, as soon as they were legal age, I was their best man. Having seen what they went through, I really wasn't into petty high school dating stuff anymore—no matter that I was still just a kid myself. I only wanted to find someone real to spend the rest of my own life with."

Kakashi rubbed soothing circles into Iruka's lower back with his thumbs. "I was in a semi-serious relationship just after high school, but Mom and Dad's high profile careers scared him off right quick because he hadn't come out to his own family yet and didn't want to get caught with me on the front of a tabloid or anything. Since, you know, loudmouths like me and my brother are kind of hard to miss—or ignore." Kakashi chuckled lowly, now running his hands up and down Iruka's back.

"Like you could ever be ignored."

"Especially by you…."

Kakashi chuckled harder. "Yes, especially by me. And likewise with you."

"We're just a pair of stubborn, blind jackasses, aren't we?"

"Hmhm." Kakashi pulled Iruka closer and leaned back against the wall so that it would support most of their weight. "Never could quite pinpoint why I couldn't leave you alone or resist poking the bear. I guess I know now."

"Pigtails and inkwells, huh?"

Kakashi clucked. "Are you implying I'm about as mature as an elementary school child?"

Iruka tipped his head back, looked at the other man, but said nothing.

"Okay, point made; fair enough. Go on."

"Then there was Mizuki. When he showed up, I shot him down; for a lot of different reasons, but when he left, I thought—oh, what the hell, why not? We'd been friends for so long that I thought that might bring us through whatever could go wrong. So I followed him to the highway and convinced him to come back. Well, it wasn't enough, I guess."

They stood in silence for a long time, just holding each other. They were rocking gently back and forth, almost as if slow-dancing to imaginary music in their heads and breathing in sync. Neither startled when one broke the silence.

"We're going to be different."

"I hope so."

"We're going to make it."

"I believe you."

…..0…0…0…..

As they slipped quietly into Kakashi's room, the silver-haired man let his brunet's hand slide out of his as he reached to slowly unbutton his own shirt, backing up as he went.

Iruka laughed. "You're going to trip."

"This is my room," Kakashi tilted a smile at hm, "I know this room. I'm not going to-whaaao….ooomph."

Iruka peeked over Kakashi's feet, which were in the air above the ottoman he'd just fallen over. "I told you so. I saw the ottoman."

Kakashi grinned lopsidedly. "So much for being smooth, hm?"

Iruka grinned and reached down to help Kakashi up. Kakashi, however, had other plans and pulled his guest down on top of himself as soon as he had a hold of his hand.

"Hey! What ar—oomph."

Kakashi guffawed, but Iruka looked up from his position laying on top of him and mock-glared.

"Are you happy now?"

"Mmhm." he grinned, completely without remorse and reached forward to pull the elastic out of Iruka's low ponytail. "Even better now."

"Good." Iruka leaned back on his haunches, encouraging Kakashi to scoot backwards as he pushed the ottoman out of their way. Then he crawled forward up Kakashi's body, settling himself beside the other on the plush rug in front of the fireplace. "How about we get cozy?"

Kakashi nodded. He reached behind himself to the giant, comfy, and over-stuffed armchair and pulled down a blanket and some cushions, then fumbled for the fireplace's remote on the end table. Iruka took a look around and pointed questioningly to the ornate chest at the end of the bed. Kakashi nodded, so the brunet crawled forward and leaned over to reach the extra blankets and pillows piled there, too. Kakashi then grabbed him by the hand again and tumbled him forward into his lap.

Iruka smiled and ran his hands up Kakashi's sides, to clasp his hands behind the man's neck, placing a few kisses on his lips and reaching up to card his hands through silver locks. He whispered, "Gorgeous," and slid his fingers down to bunch up the hem of Kakashi's borrowed undershirt.

Kakashi's cheeks dusted pink. "I'm too skinny."

"No," Iruka breathed as he leaned forward to place gentle kisses on Kakashi's now bare tummy, "You're just right, and…." he pushed the tee up even further, bunching the fabric in his hands, "….as much as I like how you look in my clothes, I'd much rather you out of them right now."

Kakashi chuckled and reached his arms up obligingly, allowing Iruka to slip the shirt off of his head and toss it into the corner somewhere. Goal accomplished for the moment, Iruka sat back on his heels, straddling Kakashi's lap to just look at the man. Though by no means inexperienced, Kakashi felt the urge to cover himself up under such single-minded observation and blushed even redder.

"Iruka," he semi-pleaded, "what are you—"

Iruka ran his hands up Kakashi's sides so lightly that it tickled a bit and Kakashi shushed, trying not to let on how ticklish he was. Iruka answered contemplatively, "I'm just looking."

His touch became more insistent and firm as he kneaded Kakashi's muscles. "You're so tense. Like a coil, ready to spring."

Iruka pushed Kakashi back into their pile of cushions—a blanket fort, in all honesty—and kissed him long and deep. "Are you always this stiff?"

"Haha, Iruka, pun intended?" Kakashi sighed and scrubbed at his face. "It's been a long day."

"Residual anxiety from the panic attack?"

Petulantly, "You sound like a doctor…." not that he'd mind playing doctor with Iruka, mind you….

Sympathetically (and though he wouldn't tell him because the older man might feel self-conscious or offended, a little pityingly too—Iruka vowed to himself right then and there—in his head—that the silver-haired man needn't ever be so alone again anymore as he obviously been and had felt for so long), "Everyone needs someone to take care of them who'll give them some unconditional TLC. Do you have tension headaches from the stress too?"

Kakashi nodded mutely, avoiding eye contact by throwing an arm haphazardly across his eyes to shield them. He knew Iruka, of all people, wouldn't judge him…. But still…. he was so used to relying on only himself—being independent out of necessity because of his social awkwardness, that it was somewhat difficult to accept help; even when it was willingly and graciously offered. Kakashi had had a hard enough time admitting to himself that first day that without Iruka to pick him up in the parking lot, he'd have basically been done for (in a manner of speaking).

"All right. That's quite enough of that. Don't go feeling sorry for yourself, I'm here now to take care of you," Iruka hushed soothingly, like a mother calming her babe. He gently pried Kakashi's arm away form his face. "There now. Much nicer, isn't it, not to be in it alone and responsible for everything?" Iruka pulled Kakashi forward into another kiss, then gently slid in behind him, bringing his hands up to knead at Kakashi's tense shoulders. "Relax, Kashi. Let me in, let me help you…."

Kakashi smiled at the endearment and began to melt under Iruka's deft fingers. Iruka worked his magic through the silver-haired man's tense neck and right down to the small of his back, where he paused a minute and leaned next to the man's ear to whisper, "Feel better?"

Kakashi sighed contentedly into the brunet's embrace, then grinned wickedly as he grabbed the man by the arm and pulled him under himself. Iruka chuckled and grinned at Kakashi in amusement from his landing spot on the floor of their pillow-nest.

"Having fun?" Kakashi nodded and leaned down to run his hands up and under Iruka's shirt. As he guided the fabric up, he pulled Iruka into a sitting position, settling himself between the brunet's legs as he pulled the shirt over his head. Then he leaned forward and kissed him, imitating Iruka's actions from earlier and running his hands over every inch of skin he could see. As his hands made their way around the brunet's torso, Kakashi felt a miniscule freeze in Iruka's breathing and pulled back to look him straight in the eyes.

"Can I see?" Kakashi saw Iruka gulp, but he nodded and allowed Kakashi to guide him around, so that he was lying on his stomach, with his back exposed. Iruka felt vulnerable, weak, and he bit his lip nervously, reminding himself that, This is Kakashi and it's going to be okay.

Kakashi looked at the long, raised line down his new lover's back and his breath hitched, thinking how different things could have been. Thankful that they turned out in a way that allowed him to have this sweet (albeit sharp-tongued) man in his arms and not wanting Iruka to think he thought him ugly, and knowing the brunet must feel uncomfortable enough, baring himself like this, much less with Kakashi taking too long to gawk and ogle, he reached forward and ever so gently ran his fingers up and down the scar tissue.

Iruka shuddered. "Does it hurt?"

The brunet shook his head. "No. That feels…. nice." The last word came out a whisper, but Kakashi heard it.

He leaned forward and pressed his lips gently to the topmost tip of the line, kissing softly down it's entire length, then settling his chest right up against Iruka's back, wrapping his arms tightly around him and forcing them up into a sitting position. Remembering his student's words of advice, and figuring this was the perfect time to make Iruka feel protected—and not one to spoil an opportunity—wrapped him up in a bear hug. Iruka thumped his head back against Kakashi's chest and Kakashi could feel the slight shudder in his sigh. He guided them down into the comfort of their pile of cushions and pulled the blankets around them tight, whispering soothing things in Iruka's ear to calm him.

Iruka turned in Kakashi's arms, breathing out a tiny, "Sorry," as he settled comfortably onto the silver-haired man's chest.

"For what, love? Nothing to be sorry for."

Iruka buried his face in Kakashi's shoulder, mumbling a barely audible, "For being broken."

Kakashi reached up to run his hand through Iruka's long hair. "You're not broken. This is a big thing for you."

"Yes, I am." Iruka still had his face hidden, but peeked out to look up at Kakashi. He traced patterns down Kakashi's chest. "Thank you."

Kakashi peered down at him in wonder. "Thank me? What for?"

Iruka took a deep breath. "I haven't let anyone see it before, except my family. I-I…. don't even go to the beach anymore. I—"

Kakashi placed a finger to the brunet's lips to silence him, sadly remembering all of the pictures of a teenaged Iruka at the beach; knowing it was something he seemed to love and angry that he had obviously felt forced to give up because of what that bastard had done.

Iruka tried to begin again, pulling Kakashi's hand down and twining their fingers together. "Thank you for not—"

Kakashi's chest rumbled with a deep chuckle. "You're really stubborn, do you know that?"

Iruka nodded and blushed. "Yeah, so I've been told. It's just that—"

"Nuh-uh. I do believe, Ruka, that I just shushed you. You're not allowed to talk. You need to listen."

Kakashi regarded him seriously for a minute, waiting to see if he'd speak again. When he remained silent and wide-eyed, Kakashi began.

"That's silly. You have nothing to be ashamed of. If you want to go to the beach, then go to the damn beach. Who cares what anyone says? Or thinks, even? They can think it to their damnselves. And if they do say anything, well, then they'll just have to deal with me. And your brother. And your mom. And your dad. And your cousins. Probably Kiba too if you promise him dinner. And your students. And—"

Kakashi glanced down. "And…. You get the picture, right?"

Iruka nodded, tears at the corner of his eyes and he leaned forward for another kiss.

This time, Kakashi did look at him, straight in the eyes. "I think you're beautiful. And I want you to be happy and do the things that you clearly enjoy doing. So do them, love. And since I'm hoping this'll be our last first night with someone…. I hope that what I think is enough. That this, knowing I think you're beatutiful, is all that matters."

Iruka held him tighter and whispered, "I think I love you."

"I think so too."

A long pause….

Then, "I mean about you."

Sigh. Welcome back, social awkwardness. I missed you. No really, I did. Because you know, there's never enough awkward to go around in nerve-wracking situations like these. Never enough at all. "Not because I'm conceited or anything. Or even because I think you should."

"Because I think that you should do whatever you want to do no matter what I think but I would like it if you valued my opinion anyways. But what I really meant to say was, was that it's because you said so."

Pause. "That you love me. No, wait—that I believe you love me. Because I believe you. And I'm glad."

Kakashi shook his head, "Wait, not about me, I mean. I mean, yes, about me…. but not about you loving me. Or about—arghhh!"

"Forget that I said that, please. Not that I'm saying I do or don't either way, but…" Big sigh.

"I'm not making that much sense. I should just…. You remember that I'm socially awkward,right? Well, I'm glad you love me anyways because obviously that hasn't changed."

Pause. "WhatIreallymeantwas…. IthinkIloveyoutoo."

Deep breath.

Iruka chuckled. "Shut up, Kakashi." He kissed him quickly, then patted him reassuringly. "You talk too much, especially when you're nervous. It's kind of cute…. but, I get what you're saying."

Kakashi nodded, a smile on his lips, as he drifted off to sleep in Iruka's warm embrace.

…..0…0…0…..

As Iruka woke up, he felt very odd. He was warm all down his front, but cold all along his backside. He also felt very sore and kind of stiff. He knew he wasn't in his bed, but he couldn't quite—

"You make funny faces when you wake up."

Iruka's eyes snapped open. They'd fallen asleep in front of Kakashi's fireplace. The reason he was so warm and cold was because his front was pressed up very tightly against Kakashi and his back was bare, except for Kakashi's hand that was brushing gently up and down his back.

"I'm not used to waking up on the floor." he grumbled and stretched.

"Neither am I. And I'm getting too old for this. No more sleepovers on the floor. I would prefer the bed as long as I have a say."

Iruka chuckled. "I agree with you there." he continued to stretch out and work out the kinks in his shoulders, pressing even further into Kakashi's warm, firm body. And speaking of firm…. Yup, he knew he'd felt something right about—

"Whaa-ha-ah!"

Kakashi jostled as Iruka purposefully brushed his hand against his erection.

Iruka grinned wickedly. "A little sensitive, are we Kashi?"

Kakashi glared half-heartedly. "It's morning."

Iruka chuckled. "I know. How about we work out the kinks in a nice, hot shower?"

Iruka never thought he'd see the lazy math teacher move so quickly, but somehow, Kakashi had beaten him into the bathroom and he could hear water running before he'd barely even sat up. He chuckled. Kakashi must be eager to break that six-year hiatus.

…..0…0…0…..

Kakashi, though his intent had originally been to take Iruka to bed last night, really couldn't complain with how things had turned out. In fact, he was kind of glad that they'd gotten the awkward sex talk over with so easily, and how naturally they had seemed to just be together. Without having to force anything, they just meshed nicely. It was like the comfortable silence between wizened old lovers rather than the uneasy silence of those who didn't really know or appreciate each other yet. He loved how they'd admitted they had feelings for each other before any sex had happened, because that made it feel more real, somehow. He had enjoyed being able to comfort Iruka and make him feel better about his scar.

But this morning—whew! He'd woken up before Iruka and he'd woken up with his usual morning wood—nothing he hadn't expected. But he must have had a really good dream with the brunet plastered next to him, because he wasn't just hard, he was really hard. Then, to top it all off, he'd had to watch the gorgeous brunet sleep for the last few minutes.

It was like torture. Torture, I tell you—his hair was adorably messy, he didn't snore, he had the cutest habit of twitching his nose in his sleep every now and then and other than the long thin scar on his back, all of the skin Kakashi could see was tan and unmarred and simply delicious looking. Plus it didn't help that he kept rubbing his arms and legs up and down Kakashi's body, unconsciously looking for warmth in the chill morning air.

So, knowing Iruka was particularly sensitive along his scar (from their exploring last night), he had begun to run light, ticklish fingers up and down the line, hoping to wake the brunet up. Now that Iruka was not only awake, but knew he was hard and was apparently willing to go, well, then—all bets were off and Kakashi was in that shower in under a minute.

He could hear Iruka following him at a more leisurely pace and the math teacher's pulse sped up when he heard the soft material of Iruka's sweatpants hit the bathroom floor. He managed to restrain himself from peeking out the shower curtain, but just barely.

Iruka slid quietly into the shower behind Kakashi and enveloped him in a hug from behind. He could feel Kakashi shudder as his hands slid down his wet chest, pausing to tweak already rock hard nipples, then down over (rather chiseled, Iruka noted pleasantly) abs to tickle the trail of silver white hair trailing down from his belly button to his heated, dripping length.

{Smut sadly omitted due to FF . net's no MA rating policy. full story will be available through my new AO3 account, see penname posted in my profile.}

When they had sat so long that Iruka almost thought Kakashi had fallen back asleep—in his lap in the shower—the math teacher looked up at him blearily, droplets of water collecting in rivulets and streaming down his face as he grinned lopsidedly and asked, "What a way to wake up, huh?"

Iruka chuckled and leaned forward to kiss him long and deeply, twitching the hot water tap slightly as he did so, and responding with a, "You can say that again. But we'd better get cleaned up."

Kakashi smiled happily. "I'm glad you're staying all weekend."

...0...0...0...

A.N. Anyone who wonders, this part:

"We're going to be different."

"I hope so."

"We're going to make it."

"I believe you."

; is ambiguous on purpose. I didn't want to say who said which line; it's all in the perception, so whichever works better for you.

WOW. . . . I am SO sorry for all of the formatting issues and for anyone who received multiple messages because of the sheer number of times I had to re-submit this chapter to have it show up without the coding interspersed within the writing. It now does not have any of the thoughts or anything in italics, because I simply can't put those in for some reason without it messing itself up. Same goes for chapter eleven. I'm working on it right now.


	9. At Odds

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and I am making no money writing fanfiction.

A. N. RL is kind of still messed up right now, but I'm back. Sorry it took so long. Bisous!

…..0…0…0…..

As Kakashi and Iruka made their way into the kitchen, they saw Naruto already sitting there, staring morosely at an empty bowl and spoon on the counter in front of him.

Kakashi chuckled. "What are you doing?"

Naruto turned a deadpan stare on him. "You have no cereal."

Kakashi smiled. "I don't _eat_ cereal."

Naruto glared. "Well, _I _don't cook."

Kakashi patted him on the shoulder as he passed. "Why didn't you just ask?"

Naruto regarded him incredulously. "You're—you're _kidding,_ right?"

Kakashi turned back towards him, puzzled. "It's not like we're strangers. We spend half of everyday together. I don't mind getting you food."

"Ha!" Naruto barked, waving a finger at him accusingly. "You're loud."

Iruka understood immediately and began to blush scarlet, but Kakashi was still having a rough time catching on, "I'm using an indoor voice, Naruto."

Naruto watched him with a serious expression, then, "No. You're _loud._ As in, I _know _what you were doing and there is no way I was walking in on _that_ to ask for breakfast."

Kakashi opened his mouth to respond, finally caught on, and paled as he snapped it shut. "Oh."

Naruto plopped his head down dejectedly on the counter beside his empty bowl. "Yeah. Oh."

"Sorry."

Naruto propped his chin up to look at the silver-haired man. "Uh-huh. I'm dying."

Iruka shook his head. "You're not dying, Naruto. You're not even starving."

"Yes I am!"

Iruka sighed and made his way over to the kettle, filling it with water for tea.

Naruto watched, a sullen expression on his face. "I'm so hungry, I almost ate the dog's food."

Kakashi couldn't help himself, he barked out a laugh involuntarily. "You _what_?"

Naruto pouted. "It's not funny. Can't you see, I'm wasting away?"

Iruka tutted as Naruto pulled at his orange shirt, trying to prove he was fading into nothing. "Naruto, you're such a drama king!"

Naruto pouted some more. "I'm bored, too. The dogs went back to sleep after I fed them."

Kakashi laughed. "Yeah. Thanks for feeding them but they get like that in the winter. Lazy little buggers. They're better in the summer. They run agility courses and everything."

Naruto brightened up a little. "They do?"

Kakashi nodded. "Yup. I train them myself. They're quick as ninjas and almost as smart too, I'd say. If you're that bored, you could always call over and see if Hinata and Neji want to come over. They're close enough that it wouldn't be too hard."

Naruto huffed. "I don't want to spend time with that jerk face! And I don't think it's a good idea to expose Hinata to the two of you—she might walk in on you going at it. Then what? I bet she'd faint—she's kind of got that innocent thing going, you know?"

Iruka raised an eyebrow and chastised his brother. "Naruto, it'll be the middle of the day, I think she's safe from walking in on us."

Naruto shrugged. "Does she like to play video games?"

Kakashi paused to think about it. "I'm not too sure, actually, she usually only plays with the dogs while Neji checks on the horses, unless her dad's over to talk business. Then she'll have tea with us."

Naruto sighed. "Promise you guys'll behave if she's over?"

"Naruto!"

Kakashi chuckled as he watched the pair. "Now, which one of you is the older brother again?"

Iruka punched him on the shoulder as Naruto laughed heartily.

…..0…0…0…..

After a home-cooked breakfast (spinach, mushroom and Swiss cheese omelets, with cinnamon buns on the side—Naruto decided Kakashi was as good a cook as his brother, maybe even _better_), Kakashi rooted around for the Hyuuga's phone number and handed it off to Naruto, who made quick work of inviting Hinata over.

To be polite (or rather, because Iruka made him be polite) Naruto included Neji in the invitation, and Hinata asked if her younger sister could tag along too.

They decided on a board games day, and lit the fire in the living room, picking out about half a dozen board games to choose from and setting out snacks like popcorn and hot chocolate. Naruto grumbled as they got ready, thoroughly convinced video games would be better, but went along with it anyways.

Hiashi agreed to drive the kids over, so when the doorbell rang after about half an hour, everyone went to greet their guests.

Kakashi welcomed them into the foyer and began making introductions. "Hiashi, this is Naruto, he's one of my students. We figured," he slipped an arm around Iruka's waist, "that he could use some company, and since your kids are about his age and they met already, we figured they might like a games day."

Hiashi smiled as Neji disappeared into the living room, stoutly refusing to do anymore socializing than absolutely necessary and responded, "Well, I hope it does my nephew some good. He really hasn't been in a good space since his father died."

Kakashi nodded in sympathy and continued, "And this is Iruka." he pulled him a bit closer.

Hiashi nodded and shook his hand. "So, Kakashi, if you don't mind my asking, you rarely have guests over…. So two guests and a get together are a bit out of the ordinary?"

The implied question hung in the air as Kakashi considered. "I know I'm not that social," he began.

Hiashi smiled, "You can say that again!" At this, Naruto and Iruka both laughed as well.

"Actually, Iruka helped me out by taking me in when my car broke down and I couldn't get home."

Hiashi nodded, then glanced down at Kakashi's arm slung around Iruka's waist. "You seem to know each other pretty well. How come we haven't met before?"

Naruto snorted, then answered for them, "They've known each other a long time but never used to get along very well. My brother comes to all of my school stuff and they used to fight like crazy. Now they're an item though," he rolled his eyes.

Hiashi smiled. "Well, then I suppose I'll be seeing more of you then." he smiled at Iruka, then nodded to Kakashi, "Call me if you need me to pick them up…. Or if Neji gives you any trouble."

Kakashi nodded. "Will do, sir. Thanks for letting them come over."

…..0…0…0…..

Once Hiashi was out the door, Naruto turned to Hinata and rolled his eyes. "They're a pair of lovesick fools," he pulled her by the arm and lowered his voice, "_heavy _on the fools part."

Hinata nodded sagely, "Why?"

He snorted, then threw back at the pair, "You're going to have to get used to introducing each other as your _boyfriend_, you know. Not everyone will be patient enough for you to stutter through stories about snowstorms and Jeeps and rescuers. Especially after this weekend, when the storm is _gone_."

As Hinata introduced her little sister, Hanabi, to Naruto, they overheard him add, "They're disgustingly cute. I say they're too old for that romantic crap, but they won't listen to me and keep making googly-eyes at each other when they think I'm not looking."

Hinata's little sister, Hanabi, giggled as she followed into the living room and Iruka growled at the retreating form of his brother.

Kakashi played with the hem of Iruka's shirt. "Well?"

"Well what?" from the tone of his voice, Kakashi could tell Iruka was still a little miffed at his brother.

"What do you think of…. you know?"

Iruka looked at him with an eyebrow raised. He sighed. "Well, Naruto's half right— about you anyways. I'm no fool and you _are_ going to have to get used to it." He smirked, "Because I'm not in the habit of sleeping with guys who _aren't _my boyfriend and I have no problem saying so."

Kakashi beamed. "Me either, lover boy!"

Iruka shook his head indulgently. "Mmhm. That's not gonna fly, unless you want me to call you my boy toy."

Kakashi nodded quickly. "Got it. Thought I'd try though." he smiled sheepishly, and Iruka smacked him on the shoulder. He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

…..0…0…0…..

After a morning full of games, they had decided to turn lunch into a competition too. Kakashi and Hinata versus Iruka and Hanabi in a cook-off (Iruka knew his brother was awful in the kitchen and Neji was too hoity-toity to deign to participate).

Naruto stared across the kitchen counter, eyes glazed over and almost drooling. "I think I'm in love," he sighed dreamily.

Neji snorted and pushed him off the stool, to an indignant snort from the blond and a snicker from Hanabi. Hinata herself, the object of his declaration, was bright red and trying to occupy herself at the stove to avoid his gaze.

Iruka snorted from the table. "And you think we're fools?"

Naruto turned, as best he could from his new position off the stool and on the floor, and glared petulantly at his brother. "You don't understand! This is THE BEST RAMEN I HAVE EVER TASTED, Iruka. It's better than yours and it's better than mom's and it's better than Mister Teuchi from the restaurant's!" he dragged his palms down his face, leaving red marks in their wake.

Hanabi nodded sagely. "My sister is a very good cook, Mister Umino."

"My cousin is not permitted to date urchins," Neji added his two cents.

Naruto looked up at him desperately. "I don't want to date her, I am going to _marry_ her!"

Hinata eeped and pots could be heard falling to the floor.

Kakashi chuckled from near the counter, where he leaned over to pick up said pots. "You're sixteen, Naruto."

Naruto pouted, slumping over. Then his face brightened and he peeked around the counter at Hinata. "Do you want to marry me in five years?"

"Um…. n-no?" She looked like she was going to pass out.

He slumped again. "Why not?"

Neji glared. "You just met her."

Naruto glared right back. "So? I _said _in five years. That's a _long _time. Jeez, don't have a sense of humour, much."

"Hmph."

He perked up again. "Will you be my best friend then?"

Kakashi smiled again. "What about Kiba?"

Naruto shook his head. "He can't cook. He just eats. Even _more_ than me."

Neji looked down his nose at him. "Do you choose all of your friends based on whether or not they can cook?"

Naruto thought about that, for a long time. "Well, no, not always."

Neji snorted derisively, "You're so boorish."

Naruto hopped up, radiating anger, and scoffed, "Well, not everyone can pull off arrogant bourgeois like you!" He accentuated his statement by poking a finger in the taller boy's chest.

Raising an eyebrow and removing said finger delicately and wiping off his own hand as if getting rid of imaginary dirt, Neji intoned monotonously, "Do you even know what any of that means, you half-wit idiot?"

Letting out a ferocious battle cry, Naruto launched himself bodily at Neji, toppling him off the stool with a crash. The stool rolled to the side as Hinata gasped, Iruka shook his head, Hanabi whooped and Kakashi grinned.

When Iruka went to intervene, Kakashi pulled him back. "You could feel this coming, Ruka, let them get the frustration out and settle their differences."

Hinata stared in wonder as the smaller boy, with the odds seemingly against him, was _still_ managing to beat her cousin into submission. Hanabi's cheering just got louder as she danced around, cheering Naruto on.

"You get him, Blondie! Neji, you _so _had this coming you arrogant ass! Go Blondie, go!"

Hinata gasped, "Hanabi! You sh-shouldn't use such language!"

"Oh, bugger off, sis, Neji needs his butt handed to him or he's just going to get worse. You should be happy—he picks on _you _the most. Enjoy the show!" She crowed and danced a little closer to the pair rolling on the floor.

"Yes. Well." Hinata cleared her throat and tried to avert her eyes from the scuffling, tousling boys, but not quite succeeding.

After about two minutes, (within which Naruto had managed to pin Neji's hands under his knees and was straddling his chest, hands gripping his collar and pulling back to deliver another punch—of which he'd landed several already) Iruka gently dislodged Kakashi's fingers from his arm and bodily picked up his brother around the waist.

Hanabi pouted and Hinata let out a relieved sigh, but Neji back-pedaled on the floor, scooting well away from Naruto, who was glaring at him wickedly from his brother's hold.

"What the hell, man, you could have killed me!" he shouted, all composure and eloquence seemingly gone, as he pointed at the blond, "You fight like an animal!"

Naruto's glare only intensified, heating up the entire room. "Don't ever call me an idiot," he growled.


	10. No More Kids & Resolving the Panic Issue

A. N. Hanabi is only nine in this fic, as opposed to the age gap in the manga and anime and she is also OOC. Hope it doesn't bother anyone too much….

…..0…0…0…..

As Neji stood, Iruka let go of his brother slowly, who was panting a little but didn't look much worse for the wear.

He glanced between the two boys, then sighed and shook his head again after catching sight of Neji.

"Kakashi, it looks like we'll be needing a first aid kit if you have one?" The math teacher nodded and headed off towards the stairs.

"It's in the master bath. I'll be right back."

"Now, let's separate you two, shall we?" He grabbed his brother's arm and started off. "Girls, could you look after your cousin for a minute?"

"Actually," Hanabi piped up, "Since it's usually him picking on us, I'd rather not have anything to do with him. Could you stay and we'll look after Blondie?"

Hinata sighed. "Nabi, that's not very nice." She smiled apologetically at Neji. He rolled his eyes and looked away. Naruto snorted at him.

"Bastard."

Neji looked ready to retort, then thought better of pissing off the blond ball of furious fists.

Iruka sighed again. "Yes, maybe that is a good idea. I suppose I'd like to talk to your cousin anyways."

Hanabi positively beamed and attached herself to Naruto's hand. Even Hinata smiled, albeit more demurely and cast one last sorrowful glance back at her cousin before following Naruto and her sister into the living room.

Iruka could hear the two teens trying to calm Hanabi down as they settled in the living room to wait for Kakashi and the first aid kit.

Once they were alone, Neji turned to Iruka and glowered for a minute before sighing.

"I suppose you're going to berate me for provoking him?"

Iruka smiled kindly as Kakashi returned with the first aid kit, handing it to Iruka and saying, "I think Neji needs this more than Naruto. I'll send him with one of the girls to clean up in the downstairs bathroom. He's only got a split lip anyways, but this one…." the silver-haired man glanced Neji up and down, then turned to leave.

"Thanks Kashi." Kakashi waved a hand in recognition, passing into the living room and sending Naruto and Hinata off down the hall.

Iruka started setting out the supplies and motioned for Neji to sit in silence. Then, after awhile, he paused in cleaning the cut to Neji's eyebrow and finally spoke.

"On the contrary, Mr. Hyuuga. My _brother_ will be getting quite the talking to this evening. As for you, I guess I just feel sorry for you. He packs quite the punch and usually gives better than he gets." He smiled kindly. "

Neji jerked his face away from the cold compress dabbing at his forehead. "You and everyone else," he muttered darkly under his breath.

Iruka put the cloth on the table. "Is that how you feel about everyone?"

Neji stoutly refused to turn back to Iruka. "What do _you_ care?"

Iruka sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Your uncle mentioned that—"

Neji cut him off, jumping up and shouting, "Oh, he did, did he? Yeah, I'm sure. _Poor_, _pitiful_ Neji, the orphan who has to live with his aunt and uncle. I bet you pity me real good now!" He swept his hand angrily through the first aid supplies, sending several bottles, the tweezers and the roll of gauze skittering across the floor.

Iruka's slack posture went rigid in a second and he watched Neji pace through narrowed eyes. "Actually, I thought how lucky you were to _have_ a family to take you in. And how you're blowing it by treating them so badly."

Neji froze, "Oh, so I'm an ingrate?" he seethed icily, "_You _wouldn't know a damn thing about it!" He glared viciously and snapped, "You and your brother and your perfect little family. You have _no idea_ what it's like to suffer alone!"

Iruka leveled him with a cool, even stare. "You'd be surprised." He looked around at the mess the teen had made and continued in a firm tone, "If you don't want help getting bandaged up, fine. But you _will _clean up this mess and when you're ready to apologize for your outburst, you can come and find me."

Neji gaped. "Yeah, frigging _right_. I'm _not_ going to apologize to you or your blond menace of a brother."

…..0…0…0…..

Iruka could hear Hanabi pipe up as he walked away from Neji, "Y'know, I've always wanted a big brother."

"Yeah? I've got the best one!" Naruto bragged, winking at Iruka as the brunet walked in.

Iruka ruffled his hair as he passed and watched her look up at Naruto adoringly. "So, do you think you could be _my_ big brother? You could teach me to fight and everything!" At this, she dropped his hand and shadowboxed around him. The blond chuckled uneasily and scratched the back of his neck nervously.

He glanced at Hinata as he answered, "I'm not sure if your sister would approve of me teaching you how to fight like that. It's not very nice to fight, Hanabi." Iruka smirked at the blond when he glanced at him nervously.

The girl looked at him in wonder, "What do you mean? It's awesome! And you're great at it…. How can you say that?" she pouted.

Even Neji came to peer through the door at Naruto's response (making sure he wasn't seen of course), "Just because I'm _good_ at fighting, doesn't mean I _like_ to fight. It's not the same thing."

Naruto crouched down a bit and pulled Hanabi in front of him. He smiled at the younger girl and patted her head. "Where I grew up, you had to be able to fight. You had to be good at it or you'd get beat up. I didn't like it, but I did learn fast. Believe me, Nabi," he borrowed her sister's nickname for her, glancing up at the older girl, "I wouldn't want you to have to fight like that."

Hanabi's pout lessened a bit. "But what if I do have to one day and I can't because you wouldn't teach me?" She was frowning up at him now, trying to make puppy dog eyes at the same time. He grinned and stood back up.

"Sorry, kiddo, the puppy eyes don't work on me." He jerked a thumb at his own chest. "I learned how to ignore'em from my big brother. He never falls for the puppy eyes either," Naruto murmured conspiratorially. He leaned over towards Hinata as Hanabi finally gave up and sat on the couch in a huff, squishing herself in the tiny, half-space between Iruka and Kakashi.

Then he continued in a whisper, "You know, I think your sister is a bit of a con artist."

Surprisingly enough, the usually shy Hinata barked out a loud giggle. "You're telling me! I'm the one she practices on. Do you know how many times I've been duped into whatever she wants?"

Naruto chuckled good-naturedly. "Maybe it's you I need to teach street smarts to then."

Hinata blushed profusely and sighed sadly. "Yeah."

"Hey!"

She looked up at Naruto's exclamation. "You didn't stutter!"

She looked confused for a moment, then replied, "Oh. Oh, n-no. I guess I didn't."

He smiled. She smiled back, less hesitantly than usual and offered an explanation.

"I'm kind of a nervous wreck sometimes. I don't stutter around people I'm used to or comfortable around. Or if I'm startled sometimes—I guess it just scares it right out of me—like just now."

Naruto frowned. He thought for a minute, then questioned, "But you stutter around your cousin?"

Hinata looked down. "W-well, th-that's different."

Hanabi, who was now contently poking Iruka in the face, and trying to blame it on Kakashi, piped up, "We're all kind of nervous around Neji. One time, when he first came to live with us, our dad tried to hug him, but Neji got really mad and said he wasn't his dad and he should stop trying to be and he punched him." She turned wide eyes on Naruto.

"He just _punched_ him. Right in the _face_. He punched Dad! Nobody just punches Dad. We don't ever know when Neji's gonna explode, so we all kind of avoid him, except Dad and Hinata who keep trying to be nice."

"Hanabi, it's not nice to speak about our cousin that way. He's been going through a lot."

Hanabi stuck her tongue out at her sister and continued, now playing with Iruka's ponytail, "He's also punched holes in the wall, Nata. Lots of them. _And_ he's broken three doors when he slams them. You know it was him who broke the kitchen window too, right? You weren't there that day- it was one of your exam days for that nursing pre-qualification-thingy."

Iruka instinctively pulled Hanabi onto his lap, ever the softie for kids. "Did you tell your mom and dad that you're afraid?"

Hanabi peered up at him seriously. "It's not like they can send him away just because I'm afraid. We're the only family he's got left."

Iruka hugged her. "That's very brave of you to say, but he can't make you afraid even if you _are_ his only family. _Especially_ if you're his only family left." He ran his hand soothingly over her hair.

At this, Hanabi smiled. "Dad doesn't let me stay with Neji alone. I don't think he likes to let Hinata either, but _she's_ the brave one." She smiled at her sister who looked down and blushed. "She's always nice to Neji, even though he picks on her for it and says she's too soft. She follows him to make sure he's safe, or not lonely or something, even though Neji would laugh at that."

In the kitchen, Neji backed away from the door where he'd been listening. _Am I that bad? No wonder Hinata is petrified of me._

He crept back to the door and pressed his ear against it, straining to listen.

Naruto was now turned to Hinata. "Wow, I sure wish I'd had a _you_ at the group home!"

Neji frowned. _Group home?_

Hinata looked at the blond, puzzled. "Don't you live with your parents?"

Naruto grinned and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Well now I do, yeah, even though I sleep over at my brother's place every second day." He chuckled.

Hinata turned to the brunet. "You guys lived in a group home?"

Iruka looked up from where he was showing Hanabi how to braid her hair. "No. I was lucky enough to have a few proper foster families before getting adopted." He smiled at his brother softly, "Naruto wasn't that lucky."

Hanabi looked between the two. "So…. You're not actually related?"

Iruka smiled. "Sure we are. Family isn't just about blood, Hanabi." He smiled indulgently at the little girl. "It's about the people you love. My brother is my brother, no matter how we came to be brothers."

She beamed up at him. "I think I get it." Iruka patted her on the head.

Hinata smiled shyly. "I never even thought you might be adopted. You seem to have the same smile."

Naruto chuckled. "I think that's just the mischief. They say old married couples start to look alike after awhile and even pets and their owners because they live together so long and pick up the same facial expressions. My brother taught me everything he knows about pranking and we've spent a lot of time together putting it to good use." He winked at Iruka. "So of course I inherited his smile. I also got his right hook, if your sister's assessment of my fighting skills is anything to go by. I was always scrappy, but more of a wild haymaker-type shot until Iruka helped me polish up my style as a pre-teen." Kakashi cringed inwardly—that was probably when Iruka had started the martial arts and wanted his brother to be better prepared to defend himself too.

Iruka laughed, then added, "Actually, brother, I've taught you everything _you_ know about pranking, but a little correction, I haven't taught you everything _I _know."

The whole group burst out laughing at Naruto's indignant pout and frown combo. Then he stuck his tongue out at Iruka.

Neji backed away from the door again. _Shit. I really _should_ apologize._

…..0…0…0…..

Once Neji finally worked up the pluck to walk into the living room, clear his throat and ask to speak to Iruka, they had a long chat over tea while Kakashi and Hinata showed Naruto and Hanabi all the tricks the dogs could do, setting up a miniature obstacle course in the now cleared-out living room.

Iruka explained how Naruto had been picked on in his group home, how that's where he had learned to be so scrappy and why he had an aversion to being called unintelligent in any way, but particularly the name "idiot," which was what the other kids would refer to him as all the time, barely even acknowledging he did have a real name. He had always been hopeful, even for an orphan, with a smile on his face and the other kids resented him for that 'happiness,' even though they didn't realize it was a mask, his way of dealing with being alone.

Neji, now sporting a purpling black eye and a bruise on his chest, also let Iruka find him a clean shirt to replace his ripped one and twisted his arm to prove his shoulder was just sore and not dislocated or his wrist wasn't sprained.

"I think I'd be in more pain then, Mr. Umino," Neji complained, unused to someone taking care of him, as he'd alienated most of his family.

Iruka tutted, backing off. "Well, you never know. It's good to check, especially when my brother is involved. He really does wallop anyone who pisses him off enough."

Neji smiled bitterly. "Yes, I can attest to that. I suppose I'll have to learn not to piss him off then."

Iruka smiled. "That would probably be a good idea."

"I think he'll probably be spending a lot of time with my family in the future."

Iruka peered at the doorway to the living room, where they could hear Hanabi and Naruto cheering Hinata and Kakashi on as they guided the two smallest dogs through a race on the obstacle course.

"I think you're right." Iruka drained his cup. "Should we join them?"

Neji smiled, a genuine smile this time. "I think…. I'd like that."

…..0…0…0…..

Surprising everyone, it was Neji—and not Hanabi or Hinata—who asked Naruto to stay over at their place for the night and the last day of the weekend before school started again Monday. He claimed it was to repay the invitation today, but both adults noted how nervous he really was. Kakashi squeezed Iruka's hand and leaned over to whisper in his ear.

"Told you it'd be good for them." Iruka tilted his head closer to mutter a reply.

"Gloating doesn't suit you well, love, but we'll get your big, empty house all to ourselves." Kakashi's face lit up.

After calling Hiashi to explain Neji's disheveled appearance make sure it was okay Naruto stayed over, they'd braved the cold and snow-shoed over like the first day Neji and Hinata had shown up. By the time they'd dropped the kids off and made it back to Kakashi's farmhouse, it was dark outside already.

Kakashi sighed tiredly as they trudged upstairs, complaining to his brunet, "I'm achy and sweaty."

Iruka smiled, patting him on the shoulder. "How about a nice bath, yeah?"

Kakashi mulled it over. "With a side of wine?"

Iruka laughed. "Sure, if you want."

Kakashi did a giddy little dance. "I love wine!"

Iruka looked at him weird. "What's up with you?"

Kakashi smiled. "Whiskey makes me reflective," he began ticking off on his fingers, "beer makes me talkative and wine makes me…. frisky!" He leered at Iruka.

Iruka shook his head. "Of course it does." He cocked an eyebrow. "You know, they're all alcohol. There shouldn't be a difference."

Kakashi nodded solemnly. "I know. But it's mind over matter and the effects are purely psychological—my logic does understand that it isn't plausible, but social context has dictated what my mind has decided are the effects of each type of alcohol that I imbibe."

Iruka stared at him deadpan. "That's so…. convoluted."

Kakashi cackled in glee. "I'll get the wine, you run the bath." He practically skipped off.

Iruka sighed. "What have I got myself into?"

…..0…0…0…..

After five glasses of wine between them (Iruka, used to drinking with his dad, could have handled more than one but decided that with Kakashi's mood one of them at least should be sober), the bath was starting to cool.

Kakashi smiled over at Iruka. "Just wait," he smiled gleefully.

A little wary, Iruka replied, "Wait for what?"

"Wait till they find out!" Kakashi crowed, somewhat drunkenly.

Iruka cocked an eyebrow. "Who?"

Gleefully, "Everyone!"

Iruka sighed patiently. "Everyone who?"

Kakashi tipped his chin indignantly at his boyfriend. "This isn't a knock knock joke, Iru-kaaaa. Stop saying, 'who, who?' _Everyone._"

Iruka leaned back against the rim of the tub, making sure to keep an eye on the silver-haired man. He decided to wait it out until Kakashi just explained to him.

"They'll be so surp-surp-surprised," Kakashi hiccupped slightly, leaning over and running a hand down the side of Iruka's face.

Iruka smiled indulgently. "Mmhm."

"Can you imagine," Kakashi scooted closer to him in the tub, sloshing the water around a bit and leaning into Iruka's side, "the _looks _on their faces?" He sounded incredulous.

Iruka scrunched up his nose. "You're a cute drunk, really, Kashi. Not mean or belligerent or plain ignorant. I just _really_ don't understand what you're getting at." He held his lover's chin for a moment, until Kakashi pulled it back to nuzzle into Iruka's neck.

"I'm cute," he purred, obviously pleased with Iruka's pronouncement.

"Yes," Iruka sighed impatiently, giving in to his infuriating lover and carding his hands through soft silver locks. "Of course you'd get stuck on that bit."

Kakashi giggled. "Of course." He burrowed further into the brunet's arms and licked a strip up his neck to his earlobe. "I'm frisky." His hand slid down Iruka's thigh under the water.

"Yes," Iruka conceded wryly, "I see that."

Kakashi giggled again. "I want you."

"How about when you're sober?"

"How about now?" Kakashi plonked himself (rather gracefully, he thought. Iruka didn't) onto Iruka's lap. "We have the whole house to ourselves." He leaned down and took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of his soap and shampoo on the brunet. He liked that.

Iruka sighed and smiled up at him, running his hands up and down the silver-haired man's sides and coming to rest on the outside of his thighs. "You know, you're almost too cute to resist."

"Then don't," he purred in what he thought was a seductive voice, leaning in to capture Iruka's lips in a heated kiss. He missed the brunet's mouth by about an inch and sloppily tried to make out with his cheek.

Iruka laughed heartily, pushing his handsy, inebriated boyfriend back a little. "I said _almost_."

Kakashi pouted. "Seriously?"

Iruka nodded, "I'm serious. You missed my mouth. In your condition, you'll break one of our penises. How do I explain _that_ to an ER doctor?"

Kakashi crossed his arms petulantly. Iruka pitched his voice a bit higher and began, "Oh, I'm sorry sir, my boyfriend just broke my dick because he was a little drunk and uncoordinated. Can you fix it?"

Kakashi shoved at Iruka's chest forlornly. Iruka only laughed harder. "You really are adorable."

Kakashi sighed, and hung his head in defeat. "No nookie?"

Iruka chortled again. "Nookie?"

Kakashi pouted. "Sex."

Iruka cupped his face consolingly. "I know what you meant, love. But nookie? Who calls it nookie?"

Kakashi pouted some more. "You're laughing at me."

Iruka sighed. "Oh come, here, you big baby, you." He wrapped Kakashi in a hug. "I love you, you know."

"I know." Came the petulant whine from somewhere in the vicinity of his neck where Kakashi was hiding.

Biting back another chuckle at the whiny tone, he pushed Kakashi back up to a sitting position and said, "Settle for a cuddle?"

Kakashi sighed. "I guess so…."

…..0…0…0…..

The next morning, as sunshine streamed through his curtains and onto his face, Kakashi groaned. _Oh, shit_. He'd made a right drunk fool of himself in front of his new boyfriend last night.

He sat up slowly, disentangling his arms from Iruka's and slinging his legs off the bed quietly to pad over to the bathroom. _The lights are too bright. The water's too loud. Shit, I'm _so_ hung over._

Kakashi was so pre-occupied with the evil tap-dancers with jackhammers and the marching band full of bugle horn and bag-pipe players wearing clogs and bells that had taken up residence in his head that he barely noticed his brunet sliding up behind him until there were warm arms snaking around him and hot breath on the back of his neck.

"Good morning, Sleeping Cutie." came the rough, sleep-laced grumble of his lover.

Kakashi sighed and dropped his head at the obvious reference to their (well his, Iruka was sober) drunken conversation last night.

He didn't notice Iruka frown in the mirror over his shoulder in concern. The brunet was wide-awake in a blink. "What's wrong, Kashi?"

"You probably think I'm a fool," he lamented, still not looking up, "a drunk, fool. It's just…." he shook his head, "I was so excited, you know, I mean it was one thing being stuck at your place in the storm, but the storm's over and you were spending the whole weekend at my place like a real couple and—"

Iruka was definitely frowning now, and he tried to turn his boyfriend around, but Kakashi kept his elbows locked and grasp firmly on the bathroom counter as he continued, "—and my house hasn't been a home in a long time, and with the kids here yesterday, and then we had the house all to ourselves, it was like we had our own family, you know? And—" Iruka tried turning him around again, pulling on his bicep firmly, but Kakashi _wasn't_ moving.

"I told you I wasn't good at relationships! Plus you never really answered me about my panic attacks at your house before! And now you probably think I'm some crazy person and—" realizing that Kakashi was working himself up into one of his panic attacks, and unable to kiss it away like last time, Iruka let go of his boyfriend's arm and looked around the bathroom. Spotting a glass bowl full of facecloths, Iruka dumped them out.

Still ranting on, Kakashi hadn't noticed Iruka let go of him until the bowl of cool water was upturned over his head with a bellow of, "Kakashi!"

(Do _not_, under any circumstances, actually doing this to someone who is having a panic attack. It's not a good idea.)

He looked up in shock at the mirror, finally paying attention to Iruka's reflection beside his own. The brunet was panting slightly. "I love you."

"I know and I totally messed up and I was drunk and—"

"I love you."

"I _know_, dammit, I'm trying to explain, I—"

Iruka put the bowl down gently and wrapped his arms back around the slim, silver-haired figure. "I love you."

Kakashi stopped talking. "Oh."

Iruka's reflection smiled in the mirror. "I have been arguing with you for close to ten years, Kakashi. I knew you were a little odd since forever. I knew you had anxiety issues a few days into you being Naruto's homeroom teacher. I love you anyways."

Kakashi sighed. He smiled sheepishly. "If it makes you feel any better, I have evil tap dancers and bagpipe players in my head from the overabundance of wine."

Iruka chuckled, finally succeeding in turning his lover around in his arms. He reached up and tried (unsuccessfully, seriously, the stuff had a mind of it's own) to tuck some of Kakashi's hair back.

"You poor thing. You're hung over." He pecked Kakashi on the lips, reaching around him to rifle around for the painkillers in the medicine cabinet. He made the math teacher down two, along with two full glasses of water, then led him back to the bed (toweling his hair dry on the way), where he proceeded to massage his scalp and temples. Feeling better, Kakashi tipped his head back and looked up at Iruka behind him.

"Thanks."

Iruka smiled and let his hand fall from Kakashi's hair to rest on his pale chest. "Better, love?"

Kakashi grinned. "Much."

"Good." The brunet leaned down and captured his lips in a kiss, "Because I wouldn't want to take advantage of a poor, hung over drunk."

"Even if he's cute?" Kakashi teased.

"I think we've established that I won't take advantage of even the most adorable of men when they're in an incapacitated state." Iruka leaned back into the pillows as Kakashi rolled over onto his stomach and crawled up over the brunet. Iruka looked up at him with a smirk.

"Even if they come onto you?"

Iruka snuck a hand down to Kakashi's backside and gave him a playful pinch. He replied cheekily, "Only if it's you."

Kakashi grinned wolfishly and sent shivers down Iruka's spine as he leaned in and ghosted his tongue over the shell of Iruka's ear, whispering huskily as he did, "I think that mornings are going to be our thing."

Iruka laughed out loud and yanked Kakashi down for a proper kiss, tangling his hands through silver hair. When they finally broke apart for air, he smiled. "Given our track record, I think you might be right."

Sitting back and sliding his hands under Iruka's t-shirt, he repeated his sentiments from their first morning together, "What a way to wake up."

Iruka allowed the shirt to be pulled of him and discarded and agreed, "Indeed. A very good way."

{Smut sadly omitted due to FF . net's no MA rating policy. full story will be available through my new AO3 account, see penname posted in my profile.}

He grinned saucily back at his sated brunet. "Uh-huh."


	11. I Googled You- You Googled Me?

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and I am making no money writing fanfiction.

…..0…0…0…..

Later that afternoon, Kakashi had finally explained to a perplexed Iruka what he meant by 'their reactions.'

"Do you remember what your cousin said?" He began, talking around the crumbs from his toast slathered in lemon curd.

Iruka hmm'd at him non-committally, glancing up from the photo album Kakashi had let him browse through.

The silver-haired man elaborated. "When he called me, 'oh that teacher.'"

"Okay." Iruka put his bagel and cream cheese down.

"Well, don't you see?"

Iruka cocked his eyebrow.

Kakashi sighed, "We're both the other's 'that teacher'. Everyone knows we fight. Everyone thinks we hate each other. They'll probably have an aneurysm when they find out. Naruto was apoplectic and he knows us both well. I mean, like he said, people will find out." He finished with both eyebrows raised.

Iruka chuckled. "Yeah, I suppose. We really are each other's opposite…. To everyone else, at least. It'll take some getting used to, I suppose, but they won't really have a choice."

Kakashi smiled. "No, they won't. But it'll be funny though!"

Iruka grinned wickedly. "That it will, love, that it will."

…..0…0…0…..

It had been several months. The snow had melted off, Neji's prediction came true, and Naruto spent almost every weekend with his family whilst Iruka was at Kakashi's. Or they would all spend the weekend at Kakashi's…. It depended on what mood the younger teacher was in, really. None of the teenagers were wont to spend the day with a grumpy Iruka—no, they'd leave that job to his boyfriend. More often than not, Kakashi spent the weekdays at Iruka's place though, but he was tiring of the back and forth and the unsettled feeling of living out of an overnight bag.

The genius had hatched a plan and started stealthily stealing his boyfriend's belongings to leave them at his own house, since obviously, it would be the better fit for them since it had more room for his dogs and Naruto's many friends. Exasperated, Iruka had finally confronted him about the missing items mysteriously relocating themselves and after a bit of a blow out (and passionate make-up, which Naruto bolted to the Hyuuga's for), they had decided Iruka would tell his uncle to put his place back up for rent again and he would move in with Kakashi. The only unhappy party was Kiba again (like the day they'd left him to his mom and sister), because he wouldn't be able to walk the ten feet over for Iruka's cooking anymore.

He got over it when Naruto introduced him to Hinata (and 'mini-Hinata' and 'cousin what's-his-name'), and he and the blond started a silent (not really- it was the opposite actually) but friendly (mostly) battle for her affections. Hinata had actually taken a liking to the boisterous blond though, and it amused him to no end that she would hide behind him and clutch his jacket sleeve whenever Kiba got too loud…. Kiba was not as impressed. Even Neji had warmed up and made friends with the blond, though he wouldn't give Kiba ('dog breath') the time of day (the feeling was mutual). Kiba did take quite the shine to 'the math dude's' pack of dogs though and often pestered his teacher to teach him how to train his own dog, Akamaru, to do the tricks Kakashi's dogs could.

Iruka had eventually met Kakashi's one good friend, Gai and in turn, introduced Kakashi to the three dark-haired people from his teenaged pictures. Kakashi got along fairly well with the first two, Kotetsu and Izumo, but really hit it off with Anko, who was only too glad to have a gay BFF…. Since she said Iruka didn't count because he played football and did manly things, while Kakashi could be convinced to go shopping and kept his nails nicely manicured (Kakashi was a bit offended, but glad to meet someone as socially awkward as himself, so he shut up about it).

Kakashi also spent time with Iruka's parents (outside of Naruto's school functions) and met the housekeeper's daughter, Shizune (he scoffed now when he thought he'd been worried about his Ruka having a thing for her, but he was glad Gai had mustered up the courage to ask her out). He had also begun to rekindle a friendship with Asuma and his sister (though he was still a little afraid of Kurenai-who was about ready to pop now and grumpy as hell for it).

The only awkward meeting was with Genma and Raidou, as Kakashi couldn't help himself but glare at Iruka's first lover (which amused Raidou to no end but thoroughly put Genma off the silver-haired math teacher). Iruka had also, at his boyfriend's request, visited Obito in the hospital to lend support to his silver-haired lover on the anniversary of their accident.

The odd thing was, with all of this happening, even in their small town, no one had put two and two together yet.

Still, no parent conferences or teacher workshops had popped up yet….

…..0…0…0…..

Kakashi was beyond excited. Not only was today Friday, but Iruka was boxing up the last of his things this weekend and officially moving into Kakashi's farmhouse. On top of that, Monday was a literacy-themed in-service, so they could spend the day together- even at work!

He laughed giddily at his desk during his last class of the day as he watched the clock, earning him worried glances from most of his students and a knowing, sardonic smile from his student-slash sort of brother-in-law. Kakashi shrugged in response and both Naruto and Kiba snorted, Kiba leaning over to whisper in his blond best friend's ear.

"See, I knew he'd be nicer if he got laid. Math dude is actually laughing an actual laugh. I bet he just wants to go home and bang your brother." He nodded sagely, thinking he was brilliant for making that deduction.

Naruto bonked him over the head indignantly. "I did not need that image in my head," he hissed venomously.

Kiba looked at him, confused. "You whacked me!"

Naruto lowered his brows into a glare and grumbled, "And I'll do it again if you don't shut up."

Once the bell rang, Kakashi caught the boys in the hall and asked if they needed a ride home, since he was going to be swinging by Iruka's place for a last load of boxes anyways. Naruto smiled and patted the teacher on the back, but laughed.

"Nah. You guys'll harangue me into moving boxes again. I'm not making the same mistake twice! I still have a corner-shaped dent in my side from packing boxes falling on me!" he finished in a whine and Kakashi just shook his head, used to the dramatics by now.

"Even if you got poked by the box, Naruto, dents like that in skin don't stay around for more than twenty-four hours. A couple, at most."

Naruto shrugged. "We have spring mid-terms coming up anyways and you know Sakura. Brainy bully conned us all into study group at her place. I'm under threat of death if I don't show up."

This time it was Kakashi who laughed, picturing his strawberry-blonde student menacing her peers with textbooks and boxing gloves.

"Yeah," he smiled, "that does sound like her."

Patting Naruto on the back and waving to Kiba, he headed down to the staff parking lot with a final (heartfelt- goodness knows what Sakura could be like), "Good luck boys!" tossed cheerfully over his shoulder.

Naruto rolled his eyes and Kiba grumbled, "I don't know why I have to go. She's your friend and everyone knows I'll barely pass anyways."

Naruto slung an arm around Kiba, then tightened it, "You're my buffer, Kiba. Everyone knows if there's anyone that pisses her off more than me, it's you."

Kiba struggled all the way down the block to Sakura's house.

…..0…0…0…..

When Kakashi got to Iruka's old townhouse, the brunet wasn't there yet. Letting himself in, he began loading boxes into the trunk and backseat of his car. There were only a couple dozen left anyways and since Iruka had an SUV, they'd most likely get it done in one trip between the two of them. Once his car was full to bursting fifteen minutes later, he texted Iruka that he was heading out and he'd meet him back at the farmhouse before they went to drop the keys of at his uncle's realty office.

Iruka didn't answer, so Kakashi assumed he was already driving. He made one last quick call before hopping in the driver's seat and taking off to his place. Their place. (Bad to text and drive guys, bad!)

Once he'd gotten all of the boxes into the foyer area, Kakashi waited on the porch in the warm spring sun for the delivery he'd called ahead for. Beside him was a basket, waiting to be loaded and hidden in the trunk before Iruka got in with his load. It didn't take long for the delivery to arrive and Kakashi sniffed appreciatively at it before packing it away to surprise his brunet later.

After double-checking to make sure he had everything, Kakashi checked the time. Iruka had texted back when he got to the townhouse and then again when he was all packed up and he would be arriving any minute now. He slid into the driver's seat of his car to wait. When Iruka pulled up not three minutes later, he waved him over and the younger teacher peeked in the driver's seat window, leaning down to kiss Kakashi lightly.

"Why don't you just leave the boxes in your Jeep for now, we can go…. drop off the keys with your uncle and then head back here to unload."

Iruka smiled, noticing the pause, but shaking his head and making his way around the car to slip in the passenger's side.

"All right," he leaned over for one more, deeper kiss, then buckled up, "let's go."

After ten minutes of comfortable silence, when Kakashi was just pulling into the town off the highway, he glanced over at Iruka.

"Did you say good-bye?"

"Good-bye?" Iruka looked over at Kakashi quizzically. "To who?"

Kakashi smiled, "To your house!"

In a doubtful tone, "My house?"

"Well…. yeah?" Kakashi glanced at him again.

"I might be lovey dovey with you and my family and I'm definitely a softie for my students, Kashi. But…. it's just a place to live. I'm not that sentimental." He turned to the silver-haired driver and smiled.

"Oh." Kakashi adjusted his grip on the gearshift and Iruka could definitely tell he was a bit nervous. They had also just passed the turn-off to his uncle's office.

He glanced at Kakashi again, but didn't say anything, hoping he wouldn't have one of his panic moments behind the wheel of his car. After another minute or two, he wiped a sweaty palm on his slacks and gestured at the glove box.

Iruka opened it and pulled out…. a blindfold?

"Could you…. could you put it on?" Kakashi dried his palm again on his pants. "I know it seems kind of weird, but—"

"I trust you." Kakashi smiled and watched out of the corner of his eye while Iruka reached up to secure the material around his head. He reached down and slid his hand across the seat and Kakashi linked hands with him, Iruka gripping his hand reassuringly.

"Don't be nervous, love." They drove in silence again for a while.

"You know I'm kind of sentimental, right?" Iruka nodded as he felt the car slowing to a halt.

"I figured that out my second morning at your place, when you let me at the photo albums. I didn't know one album could fit so much stuff in it that wasn't pictures!" He laughed, remembering the movie ticket stubs from when Kakashi had been a kid, all of his report cards, an envelope with clippings of his first hair cut….

He was pulled out of his musings by Kakashi's barely audible, "Our place." The brunet smiled.

Kakashi sighed beside him and Iruka squeezed his hand again. "Tell me?"

"It was where we started."

Iruka reached up to pull the blindfold down, unsurprised to see that they were, indeed, parked in his old driveway. He smiled again and leaned over to place a reassuring kiss on his lover's cheek.

"Okay. So what do we do, oh sentimental one?"

Kakashi beamed. "I want to make you an album like one of mine."

He reached into the backseat and pulled a camera bag onto his lap. "I assumed you weren't not sentimental by choice, if that makes sense? You had to learn to deal with losing most of your stuff in the fire, then you had to just drop everything anytime you changed foster homes."

He pulled Iruka's hand back into his as the brunet blinked back tears. "So, I'm going to make you your first album like mine. We're going to start here." He squeezed and smiled, waiting for a reaction.

Iruka canted his head and smiled heartbreakingly at him. "Oh, Kashi."

The brunet leaned forward, cupping Kakashi's cheek in his free hand and sighing into a soft, sweet kiss.

"I'm so glad you're my sentimental boyfriend." Kakashi smiled even wider, if it was possible.

"I tried to con Naruto into being here, but he thought we'd make him move junk and he had a study session at Sakura's."

Iruka shuddered. The girl was brilliant, really. And pretty to boot…. but the temper on that one- scrappy as his brother was, Sakura was the only friend Naruto wouldn't say no to. Ever.

"That's all right." He sidled up to Kakashi's side as the math teacher fished the last of his supplies out of the trunk. "We'll just have some more alone time." He grinned.

Iruka offered to shoulder the backpack while Kakashi dangled a basket over his elbow and juggled his keys into his pocket before picking the tripod back up and tucking it under his arm. He used his free hand to grab one of Iruka's while the brunet closed the trunk.

"All set?" The genius nodded.

Kakashi led the way inside, because he figured Iruka would head to the living room out of habit and he had other plans. When they got to the kitchen, he put down everything but the camera round his neck on the counter. Iruka dropped the backpack on the floor just in front.

Iruka turned about, eyeing the space around them. "It's so empty."

"I remember the first time I was here." Kakashi slid his hands into his pockets. Iruka turned back to face him.

"So do I." He closed the distance, so there was nothing left but fabric between them, not even air, as he slid his arms around Kakashi's waist. "I've never gotten around to asking, but I always wondered how you knew. You waited right there." He pointed to a spot in front of the counter.

"Away from the knives and right where I could see you best from the door. You left me the best seat in the room for watching everyone else and you hesitated to come in the kitchen after Asuma left." He paused, running his hands up and down Kakashi's back.

"That last bit, at least, makes more sense. Asuma probably told you to stay out of the kitchen." He smiled up at Kakashi, who had wound his own arms around the brunet. "When it was happening, you know, I thought at first it was because you'd found out I was gay…. and weren't as okay with that as you let on."

Kakashi leaned down and nuzzled into Iruka's neck, staying silent and letting Iruka talk it out.

"But breakfast though…." Iruka pulled back a tiny bit, making Kakashi look back up at him, "That had to have been before Naruto told you our story because he was still out like a light upstairs and Asuma hadn't even thought of coming over yet."

Kakashi smiled gently and peppered slow kisses on his brunet's lips.

"Do remember what I said before the boys got up that day?"

Iruka cocked his head to the side, thinking.

"About a new…. interest of mine?"

"Umm…. oh!" Iruka's eyes lit up in recognition. "Oh, shit! I was…. it was me? How did you? You couldn't have figured it out from the photo albums the night before…."

"No." Kakashi nuzzled back into Iruka's neck (one of his favourite places to hide and sighed contently, softly. "I'm a genius, so I did figure out about the fire from those first pictures of your biological parents."

He could feel Iruka nod. "I knew there was a kid missing from the pictures too. And that you were adopted from knowing your brother." Another nod and thumbs rubbing soothing circles near his hips.

"So I Googled you." Kakashi stood straighter and looked at Iruka.

"You Googled me?"

"I Googled you."

"That sounds…. vaguely sexual." Kakashi laughed out loud.

"Especially if you say it lots of times." He giggled again. "Want me to Google you again? Or you could Google me this time. Google me good. We could Google now. We could Google in the kitchen."

Iruka was shaking with mirth in Kakashi's arms. "Oh my gosh, you sound like a—like a perverted Dr. Seuss book!"

Kakashi laughed lowly, pulling his arms tighter.

"I'll never be able to read one to my students again with a straight face! Or—or…. could you imagine if I have to tell them to Google something in computer class? It'll be the death of me!"

Kakashi laughed heartily at that one, imaging a blushing Iruka trying to force out the words to one of his eleven-year-olds.

When he finally calmed his laughter, Iruka fiddled with the top button on Kakashi's button-up.

He whispered, "Why are we in the kitchen, Kashi?"

Kakashi leaned further into the counter to reach around Iruka and push the basket into his sight. "Because we're going to make good memories in the kitchen. Better ones."

Iruka continued to play nervously with the button. "This isn't even the kitchen where—"

"All kitchens make you nervous. You're better when Naruto's there…. Or there are lots of people like the first day we had Hiashi's kids over. You're completely fine with me now too."

Iruka finally looked up and smiled. "That one didn't take long."

Kakashi smiled back and kissed him gently. "That's because you love me."

"No." Kakashi didn't quite freeze, but his movements hitched for a fraction of a second. Iruka sighed and swatted him gently. "That's not what I mean, you silly man and you know that by now."

"I love all of my family, but I still don't like to be in the kitchen with anyone but you, Naruto or mom. It's because you're my most trusted people. It's not about whether or not I love you guys- which I do, immensely and unconditionally- but this is more about me knowing that you're the three people in the world who love me the most."

He took a deep, maybe-a-bit-shuddery breath before he continued, Kakashi's arms tightening around him again, "Not just that you'd never hurt me. It's not like I think my dad or Suma's gonna go postal on me- it's that I know that you would all fight with me- like Naruto and his frying pan."

Iruka shook his head, sad laughter bubbling up from his throat. "Good lord, but he must have been scared. He was only ten. And I fought harder. Because it was him. Because he was my most important person. He still is, and so are you and Mom. So I know that I could beat whoever came at me if it was only to protect one of you."

"I love you."

"Me too, Kashi, me too."

They stood in silence for a moment, contemplating.

"I'm not sure…. I don't think I would have gotten up after that first gash down my back if I wasn't scared shitless of what would happen to Naruto if I didn't. I—"

"Damn, I love that kid more every day." Iruka burst out laughing.

"Don't let him hear you say that. You'd never get to wrangle him back in class again!"

Kakashi chuckled. "If he's the only reason you fought your way back out of that hospital bed, then I think I might owe him a lot more than no detention, a few free periods and ramen everyday at lunch for the rest of his life, and then some."

Iruka laid his head on Kakashi's shoulder. As he began to shake with laughter, Kakashi glanced down.

"What?"

"I'm getting as sentimental as you. I mean, really, we're discussing some of my deepest shit here, and I'm all weepy and stuff." He peered up through thick, dark lashes.

Kakashi kept a straight face (quite an incredible feat for him) as he responded seriously, "Maybe it's because I rub off on you when we Google each other."

Iruka's laughter squawked through him indignantly as he whacked his boyfriend on the bicep.

…..0…0…0…..

After a pizza dinner on a picnic blanket surrounded by candles on the kitchen floor and a few glasses of wine, the pair headed out to the back yard.

Kakashi showed Iruka some pictures he'd taken of Naruto the other day by the tree in the backyard, then set up the tripod to take a few shots of the pair of them posing there too. He collected a leaf that fell in Iruka's hair and said he was going to press/dry it for the album.

They walked around the yard, Iruka telling Kakashi stories of his time there and Kakashi collecting things (like a flower from the ones that came back every spring, a white stone from around the little birth bath Iruka had installed himself, and the trellis where Iruka had marked Naruto's height each summer vacation. (He wrestled that one into the back seat before they headed back into the house.)

They settled in the kitchen again, Kakashi pulling out a file folder and pushing it towards Iruka as he set out a rich array of deserts. Iruka shuffled through the folder, pausing every now and then in wonder as Kakashi broke through his thoughts with little anecdotes explaining some of the mementos as he glanced over every now and then from what he was doing. There was a printed version of all the articles Kakashi had read about Iruka when he Googled them, the receipt from the garage where Kakashi had taken his car after the storm (he told Iruka he'd kept it because he was grateful his idiotic sports car had been good for something after all, namely getting him invited to his future boyfriend's place), the label from the bottle of whiskey they'd shared that first night (Iruka laughed when Kakashi told him the story of coming over, seeing the bottle was gone from the cabinet, replaced with a new, full one and then panicking, digging through Iruka's recycle bin till he'd found it) and many other little knick knacks tying them together and to their beginning here. He also had the dry cleaning receipt from the white, coffee stained button-up that had earned him their first kiss and the label for the lube they'd used their first time at the farmhouse (Iruka turned beet red and tried to toss that one, Kakashi wouldn't let him). All in all, it took Iruka a good hour to get through everything and when he did, he looked up to find that beside their desert selections, Kakashi had set up a little camp area, full of sleeping bags, blankets and pillows. There was even a little kerosene lamp off to the side, complementing the candlelight that was now the only source of light in the kitchen.

Iruka couldn't help the tears in the corners of his eyes as Kakashi handed him one last envelope, a letter, written mostly as a poem, addressed to him and entitled, "The Ballad of A Socially Awkward Genius Who Finds and Falls in Love with his Soul Mate."

After a few more laughs and indulgent deserts with tea from a thermos, things got hot and serious again when Kakashi leaned over and smeared chocolate cake all over Iruka's cheek.

He leaned forward and whispered huskily, "One last hurrah, hm, Ruka? A good memory in the kitchen?"

Iruka nodded and allowed Kakashi to lean him back amongst the sleeping bags. "I know you said no more sleep overs on the floor, but since it's our last night here…."

Iruka laughed and pulled the silver-haired man into a kiss. "Shut up and kiss me, you sentimental old fool." And so he did.

…..0…0…0…..

The End

A. N. I may come back to this, but for now I wanted to at least complete it in some form as I'm going to start working on a massive project and didn't want to leave you hanging since I hate it when other authors do that to me.

Also, sorry to anyone who was subscribed to this story... This was a re-read overhaul and not an actual update.

P.S. I'm a little bit sorry about the Google thing, but not too much... It was giggle-inducing for me, but granted, I wrote it in the early hours of the morning.


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